Gunpowder & Lead
by ROCkER.JACkSON
Summary: Someone's killed. Elizabeth's arrested. And Sonny wants revenge. What happens when Jason finds out and finds himself grateful to the woman that walked out of his life? How far will he go to protect her? How will people in his life react to his actions?
1. Chapter 1

_He's dangerous. _

_He's just using you._

_ You deserve so much better than him. _

_You have to listen to us, he's not the one for you. _

_You don't know him as well as you think you do. _

_He doesn't really care about you. _

_He just wants to hurt Jason and get to Sonny._

The words kept echoing in her head. The anger, the hatred, burning inside her like a wild fire ignited by a gush of wind. It was one thing to hear it, but another thing to really listen. Out of all the people to drive it home, it had to be Carly. The woman she hates more than anything in this life, it had to be Carly fucking Corinthos.

The knowing smug wasn't on Carly's face, just a serious determination to get through to Elizabeth and that made it so much worse. So she sits there, she listens to Carly telling her everything that Ric has done. She shows her proof and Elizabeth can't deny it anymore. She can't act like this was just a way to ruin her life. Her husband really is this sick twisted man. She can't hide from it. She can't deny it.

Damn Carly. Damn Jason. Damn Ric. Damn Sonny. Damn Courtney. Damn them all to hell!

"Ric is nothing but a worthless piece of shit!" Carly nearly shouted. "Are you getting it now?"

"Why do you care?" Elizabeth exclaims, gripping her head in her hands, the anger becoming too much. "What are you even doing here?"

"I may not like you, but I wouldn't wish that son of a bitch on anyone...not even you!" Carly states, seeing that she has finally gotten through to Elizabeth. "Not even you deserve what he's done."

Elizabeth can't stand this. Talk about the freaking irony. Standing up, Elizabeth walks over to the door and pulls it open. She had a lot to think about and she didn't want to deal with Carly for another moment longer. If it were Emily or Nikolas, hell, she'd even take the news from Lucky, but not her. This was just too much. Carly took the gesture for what it was and walked over to the door, but not before asking the question she's been dying to ask.

"What are you going to do about it, muffin?" Carly eyes her intently.

"That's none of your business." Elizabeth snaps, glaring at the woman who was the vain of her existence. "But when I decide what I'm going to do, everyone will know it."

Jason can't believe that Sonny is letting Ric live. After everything that son of a bitch did, he is still allowed to breathe the same area as the rest of Port Charles society. Men have been killed for much less in their business, but just because Ric shares Sonny's blood, he gets to live. He raped Carly, he hurt Courtney, and still Sonny can't be man enough to end the threat. What's worse is that he ordered Jason to stand down. He ordered Jason to not kill the man that caused everyone so much unnecessary pain.

"I found Sonny." Jason assures Courtney. "He's on his way home."

"That's good." she smiles, glad to hear something good. "Carly was worried about him."

"Good because he's going to need her tonight." Jason wished that it was because Ric was dead, but he'll leave it alone for now.

"What about Ric?" Courtney dares to ask, not really sure she wants the answer.

"Ric's alive." Jason says scornfully. "For now."

Standing in the dark, staring out the window, Elizabeth's anger is consuming her. Drawing her into the past, into that dark night in the park, back to the memories of Tom Baker. She hates Ric for doing this. For making her believe in him and tearing apart her world. Why couldn't she ever get it right?

Elizabeth can probably justify a lot of the things he has done, but nothing justifies him raping Carly. That is something she will never be able to justify or accept. She hates Carly and she wishes to the hight heavens that she never met the blonde, but she would never wish that kind of anguish on her worst enemy. In this case, that would be Carly. Drinking alcohol, numbing the buzzing sound in her brain, Elizabeth waits for him to return. Knowing he will.

"You have to see this!" Carly bursts through Courtney's hospital room door.

"Carly!" Jason blurts out, the moment between him and Courtney ruined.

"Oh, you're gonna thank me for interrupting, trust me." Carly grabs the remote, turning on the television.

"What's going on Carly?" Courtney questions as Carly flips through the channels.

"Muffin's on the news." Carly smirks, plopping down next to Courtney.

Jason unknowingly stands, his focus now on the television. An ache inside him tells him that its not good.

_"Coming to you live from the house of Richard Lansing, one of Port Charles's prosecuting attorneys, fire fighters have finally gotten the fire under control." the spokesman reports. "For those of you just tuning in, it appears that the attorney's wife, Elizabeth Imogene Webber, has been the one to set her home ablaze with her husband's dead body lying inside. We'll bring you more as the night progresses, back to Marina in the studio."_

"Can you believe it?" Carly shut off the television. "She really killed him."

"Are you sure?" Jason stares at her intently.

"She's been already been arrested." Carly confirms. "When Mac got to the scene, all she said was, I killed him and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Jason and Courtney glanced at each other, both couldn't believe that, of all the people to do it, Elizabeth is the one that killed Ric. His heart ached, knowing just how much Elizabeth hated guns. He couldn't even imagine what must be going through her mind at this point.

"There's something else." Carly says carefully. "Sonny...he's out for blood."

"What?" Courtney voices, but Jason's frozen. "What the hell is wrong with Sonny?"

"I don't know." Carly looks at Jason. "He's putting in some calls..."

"I have to go." Jason kisses Courtney's forehead. "Carly, stay here with her."

Elizabeth's cold, she can't help but replay the night's events through her head. She killed someone. Not just someone. She killed her husband, point blank, in cold blood. He didn't deserve to live, but the realization that she killed him...it was too much. Everyone's words are echoing through her mind. The police try to question her, but she doesn't speak. She sits there, staring at her hands that are cuffed to the table. She's numb. Nothing registers until she hears his voice. She looks up, wondering if he was real.

"Come to say I told you so?" Elizabeth mutters, speaking for the first time since being arrested.

"No." Jason closes the door, leaning against it. "I want to help you."

"Help me?" Elizabeth scoffs, rolling her eyes. "No one can help me. I killed him."

"Why?" Jason blurts out before he can stop himself. "I don't understand why you'd kill him."

"Carly told me what he did." Elizabeth's voice barely above a whisper. "I was married to a rapist...I just..."

"Don't blame yourself." Jason walks over to her, kneeling down beside her. "Its not your fault."

"He said you wouldn't kill him, he was so smug about it, the fact that he was Sonny's brother." Elizabeth mutters, shutting her eyes against the memories. "I don't know how I came to have the gun in my hand, but I just shot him. I shot him and kept shooting him...I wanted him gone in the worst possible way."

He wanted the same thing, but he wanted to be the one to do it. He should have done it. Elizabeth didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to be in lock up, she didn't deserve any of this. Once again his life seeped into hers and now she could go away for life.

"I'm going to help you." Jason takes her hands in his. "If you'll let me."

"Don't have much of a choice." Elizabeth picks up her gaze to meet his. "Do I?"

"Not really." Jason admits. "I won't let you go down for this...I won't let that son of a bitch ruin your life any more than he already has. I promise you that."

"Jason?" Elizabeth calls to him when he gets to the door, continuing when he looks at her. "Tell Carly...tell her I'm sorry for what Ric did to her."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Jason says sternly. "Don't ever apologize for that bastard."

Shaking her head, she gives him an emotionless smile. "Okay." she looks away from him. "Okay."

"If you ever trust anything I say, trust this." Jason says solemnly. "I won't let you go to prison. No matter what happens, I won't let your life end in a prison cell."

With that Jason walks out of the interrogation room. He has a few calls of his own to make. He doesn't care what kind of obligation Sonny felt towards Lansing, he won't let anything happen to Elizabeth because she did the one thing Jason was dying to do. As far as Jason's concerned, she did everyone a favor and he plans on repaying that. No matter what it takes, no matter what it'll cost him, Jason will protect Elizabeth from the fallout of this. Even if Sonny's the one that she needed protection from.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I stumbled onto the scene of Jason, Sonny, and Ric and then Ric and Elizabeth. **

**I hope you liked it and I can't wait to hear what you think of it. Tell me what you want to happen, what you think might happen, or even just how you feel about Elizabeth killing Ric.**

**-ROCkER**


	2. Chapter 2

She can tell its morning by the scuffling back and forth that could be heard by the cops, thus marking day two in this hell hole of a cell. Elizabeth has yet to fallen asleep, the memories of that night playing over and over again in her mind. She had to keep saying it to herself in her mind, she killed him. She, Elizabeth Imogene Webber, killed her own husband. She shot him and kept shooting. And it wasn't even enough because she set the whole house ablaze. It wasn't enough that he was dead. She wanted him to burn. She wanted to watch him burn the way he sent her whole life up in flames.

Mac has yet to truly charge her with anything. He says that the investigation is still ongoing and that she'll be arraigned soon enough. She doesn't really understand why he doesn't just do his job and send her to Pentonville for killing Ric. There was something in his eyes that told her she wasn't getting the whole story. Another reason she hates cops. They never give the full story, even if you may be the victim.

She has yet to speak to anyone since Jason came by. Taggert keeps telling her to not listen to whatever Jason said and to open up to them, but she just stared past him at the wall. She wasn't keeping quiet because of Jason, not that she'd tell him that, she just didn't have anything to say. The words wouldn't form and her voice completely failed her. It was like she was just frozen, going through the motions, but not really there. So there she sits, up against the wall, legs crossed beneath her and her eyes closed.

"Liz?" a soft voice speaks. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Em." Elizabeth voices, but there's no emotion behind her words. Her voice sounds so plain, so unreal. "You shouldn't be here."

"No. I think that goes the other way." Emily sighs, truly hating seeing her like this. "Can you look at me?"

"I guess." Elizabeth opens her eyes, turning to look at Emily, her friend regretting the request because the eyes that look at her are distant and cold. "Happy?"

"What happened to you, Liz?" Emily's heart breaks for her friend, she had no idea things had gotten this bad until she saw the news footage. "Why would you kill him?"

"Because." Elizabeth states, taking in a deep breath. "Just because."

"Talk to me, please, Liz." Emily says pleadingly. "Nikolas and Lucky are trying to get your arraignment pushed up and we're all here for you. Just please, let us in."

"I can't." Elizabeth's voice sounds defeated. "I just can't."

"Liz, I'm your best friend." Emily tries to get through to her. "I just want to understand. I want to be here for you! I love you, please, trust me and let me in."

"I wish I could." Elizabeth admits, silent tears falling down her face. "But I can't. I'm sorry."

"I won't give up on you." Emily vows, staring into emotionless eyes. "I'm your best friend and I will make sure you get past this. I swear that to you."

Emily watches as Elizabeth closes her eyes once again, it looked like she was forcing herself to shut down. Emily wanted to understand what was going on and she wished more than anything that Elizabeth would open up and trust her. Seeing that she wouldn't get anything more out of her best friend, Emily walks away with tears in her eyes.

"How is she?" Lucky and Nikolas ask simultaneously.

"Broken." Emily takes in a deep breath as Nikolas wraps his arms around her. "She's broken and she's closed herself off completely."

"Good, you're all here." Mac says as he walks into the main part of the station. "I need you to come with me. I have a few questions to ask you all."

Emily, Nikolas and Lucky look at each other then at Mac. None of them really understood what's going on, but follow after the police commissioner regardless. As soon as they get into the commissioner's office, all three are on edge when they see Taggert and Dara.

"What's going on Mac?" Nikolas voices as the door closes behind them.

"Have a seat." Mac gestures to the three chairs in front of him as he leans against his desk. "You'll want to be sitting for this."

Jason was ready to kill someone as he stood there staring at his boss. This man was more than that, but at the moment, he couldn't see it. He couldn't see the man that he has looked up to for years. This is the man that has went from his father to his brother, but he just couldn't see that man in front of him.

"I have an obligation to avenge his death!" Sonny snaps, downing his third glass of scotch. "He was..."

"Your mother's son. Yeah, got it!" Jason states, growing tired of this back and forth. "It still doesn't give you the right to go after Elizabeth!"

"Why do you care?" Sonny counters, glaring daggers at Jason. "You're married to Courtney. Why don't you go focus on the one that's actually your wife."

"Don't!" Jason snaps, it was one thing to use his mother, but not his sister. "Don't make this about Courtney and Elizabeth. This is about you going after a woman for a scum bag like Ric!"

"I made my decision." Sonny states, leaving no room for argument, not that Jason would care. "She has to pay for killing my mother's son."

"Since when does blood matter?" Jason counters. "Ric is to you what AJ was to me...only there were good times with AJ while your brother was nothing but a user and abuser."

"Watch your tongue!" Sonny exclaims. "I still make the orders around here! I'm still the boss!"

"I really didn't want to have to do this." Jason sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose to relieve the pressure. "I wish there's another way, but you've left me no choice."

"What are you going on about?" Sonny glares at him, putting down the glass. "Are you threatening me?"

"If you go after Elizabeth, you will mean nothing to me." Jason stands his ground, not faltering. "Elizabeth stood by me when everyone else turned their backs and I won't let you hurt her. So, if you go through with this...if you go after her...I will come after you."

"You're willing to turn your back on everything we have for that woman?" Sonny counters, staring at him intently. "For a woman that turned her back on you...you sure you're ready for that?"

"Are you willing to make me choose because of a man that was lower than dirt?" Jason challenges. "For a man that has been in your life less than I've been...who has done nothing for you?"

"He may be the worst thing to ever have walked this earth, but he's still family." Sonny states bitingly. "I have to do it for my mother. What's your excuse?"

"She's the only reason I'm still breathing." Jason couldn't believe it was really coming down to this. "If she didn't find me in the snow, I'd be dead. Regardless of what has happened between us, I owe her."

"So that's it?" Sonny asks, pouring himself another drink. "All this for that woman?"

"That's it." Jason confirms, pulling open the door, his heart aching at the imminent end. "Mark my words Sonny...if you go after Elizabeth, I will come after you and I won't stop until she's safe again."

"Do it." Sonny says into his cellphone once Jason's out the door. "Call me once its done."

Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing. How was this possible? She could hear the words coming out of Lucky's mouth, she could see the look in Emily's eyes, and Nikolas's posture was even more expressive than Lucky's words...this was real, but how could it be? How did she not know?

"Say something." Lucky says pleadingly. "Did you know?"

"That's a stupid question Lucky!" Emily exclaims, wanting to slap her friend upside his head. "How could you even ask her that?"

"Come on, Lucky." Nikolas takes hold of his brother's arm. "Lets give the girls some time to talk."

Lucky stares at Elizabeth for a moment before reluctantly walking away with Nikolas. He couldn't believe the look that was in Elizabeth's eyes. It was the same one she had after she was raped, only not even he could break through the fog this time. Nothing he has said or done has gotten through to her and he doubts that anyone will be able to at this point.

"They say the drugs should be out of your system in a couple days." Emily says softly, fighting off the tears that threatened to form. "From what Mac has figured out, it was Chloral Hydrate."

"A depressant." Elizabeth shakes her head. "I know the drug. Ric had a file on it for a case."

"Mac tracked down the supplier and they uncovered everything Ric has done." Emily explains. "He's opened up an investigation into Ric's life."

"You should tell them they might as well give up." Elizabeth states, her eyes turning hard. "Since Ric's a Corinthos and all...I doubt they'll get very far."

"Liz, the state's dropping the charges." Emily says carefully. "Maybe when they do...maybe you should talk to someone...a professional."

"Why?" Elizabeth counters. "So they can tell me what I already know? Tell me all my faults and make excuses for everything? No thanks."

"You have suffered through something so horrific." Emily sighs, wishing she could find a way to break through to her friend. "You can't get through this alone."

Before Emily could say much more, the guard came to take Elizabeth to be released. Elizabeth didn't say anything from that point on as she was lead into the interrogation room to wait for the paperwork to release her. A part of her wondered what will happen next, but she didn't dwell on it. She asked the guard to keep the three friends out as she waited to be released. She just couldn't take seeing them yet. Elizabeth was tired of being pitied. She's tired of the guilt in their eyes and the sadness as they watched her close herself off.

"Hey, Em said you didn't want them to come in." his voice spoke to her. "Does that include me?"

"No." she says plainly. "You're okay."

"I heard you're being released." Jason closes the door and walks over to sit in front of her. "I have some things to tell you and I don't have a lot of time to explain."

"Okay." she says, letting him know she heard him, even if she wasn't looking at him.

"Sonny's coming after you." Jason says carefully. "He's already ordered Johnny and Francis to kill you, but they're not going to. Between the three of us, we're going to keep you safe."

"You're going against Sonny?" Elizabeth finally looks at him. "I don't understand."

"He's wrong." Jason says simply. "I won't let him hurt you."

"But...you're turning against Sonny...I just..." Elizabeth looked at him confused. "Why?"

"You matter." Jason took her hands in his. "I'm going to keep you safe. I know you hate your life being out of your control, but I need you to trust that I know what I'm doing. I know this is gonna be hard for you, but I need you to trust me."

"Trust you?" Elizabeth whispers, staring into his blue eyes. "I don't know if I can. Everyone I trust...I always get hurt in the end."

"I'm not asking you to trust me with your heart." Jason says softly, remembering what Emily said about what Ric did to her. "Just trust me to keep you alive."

"I can do that." Elizabeth concedes, knowing she didn't have much of a choice since Sonny was out for her head. "I can trust you with that."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I appreciate the reviews! I'm glad to be back!**

**Yes. Ric really r*ped Carly. Yes, he's a slimeball of the worst kind. **

**Hope you liked the update. **

**-ROCkER**


	3. Chapter 3

Sonny was absolutely fuming when he got updated on the situation. He knew that his former friend and employee was good, but this was ridiculous. How could he get that woman out of the PCPD without the two guards being able to do their job and take out Elizabeth. He didn't fault Johnny and Francis though, Jason was as good as they get and it would take a little more subterfuge to get to Elizabeth. Waving away the two guards, Sonny got to work on calling in contacts and favors. He had to find someone better than Jason and he had to find someone fast.

"I don't care how much it costs!" Sonny shouted into the phone. "Just find me someone now!"

Johnny and Francis left to the warehouse, where they were currently being stationed. Both men couldn't believe that Sonny ever got along without Jason in the business. For a man that was supposed to be the head of the most notorious organization, he couldn't even tell that both men were lying out their asses right in front of him. Jason would have spotted their lies from a mile away, but not Sonny and that worked in their favor.

"What now?" Johnny asks the older guard, taking his position.

"We wait for Jason's call." Francis says simply, knowing that this was Jason's strong suit. Sonny has no chance of beating Jason when the stakes are this high. "He should be nearing the safehouse."

"I still can't believe little Lizzie killed that prick." Johnny commented, remembering how shocked he was to get Jason's call. "I just never imagined her taking that kind of burden on herself."

"There's only so much a person can take before they snap." Francis points out, knowing just how broken Elizabeth was. He's always felt the need to protect her, just like Jason and Johnny. "She just broke."

"Well if anyone can put her back together, its Jason." Johnny knows, better than anyone, just how strong that connection is. "Lets just hope we won't have to kill anyone we know."

"To save Elizabeth, everyone's fair game." Francis says sternly, not caring for anyone that goes after her. "Everyone."

"Agreed."

Courtney is sitting in her hospital room, worried to her core about Jason. He hasn't called or come by and she was on the verge of freaking out. Carly was trying to convince her that Jason was okay, but she couldn't believe it. With Elizabeth on the line, Courtney was afraid that Jason would do something crazy. No matter how much she wanted to convince herself that it wasn't true, Jason still had strong feelings for the brunette and she didn't know where that would take him.

"Would you stop worrying?" Carly blurted out, growing tired of Courtney tapping her fingers on the bed rails. "Jason can take care of himself."

"He hasn't called or anything. I'm worried about him." Courtney stated, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Well stop." Carly walks over to sit next to her on the bed. "Jason is practically indestructible."

"I can't help it." Courtney sighs, adjusting herself on the bed for the umpteenth time. "When it comes to Elizabeth...anything can happen."

Carly knew she couldn't argue that point. Anything can happen when the muffin is on the line, but she wouldn't voice it. No matter what either of them think, Jason married Courtney and that would always been most important in Jason's mind. He took vows and, if Courtney really knew him, she'd know that she had nothing to worry about. Before Carly could reassure her any further, her cellphone started ringing and she answered it to her husband's stern tone.

"You're not making any sense." Carly stated, trying to figure out what her husband was saying. "What does that mean?"

Carly feared this would happen, but she didn't think it would happen this quick. Looking at Courtney, she ended the call and slid her cellphone back into her purse. She didn't know how she was going to tell Courtney this, but she knew she had to.

"What is it?" Courtney blurted out, fear seeping into her.

"Jason turned against Sonny." Carly sits down next to Courtney, taking her hand in hers. "Until further notice, Jason and Sonny are enemies."

"What?" Courtney gaped at her sister-in-law. "This can't be happening. Sonny must have misunderstood Jason."

"No." Carly shook her head. "This is really happening. Sonny wouldn't back down and Jason turned against him."

Courtney snatched the phone from the side table and dialled Jason's number, but she only got voicemail. She tried again and again, but the end result was the same. Voicemail. The fear in the pit of her gut got stronger and stronger. She couldn't believe that this was her reality. Why did Elizabeth have to kill her husband now? Jason would have handled Ric sooner or later, she had to have done this on purpose. She had to have known that Jason would drop anything to repay her for killing Ric.

"Jason, its your wife. Please call me or come see me. I'm still in the hospital and Sonny's saying a whole lot of crazy things." Courtney's voice in a panic. "Please! I need to know you're okay. Please!"

Jason tossed a couple more logs into the fireplace to get the fire roaring. The nights in the forest are usually cold, even with the summer heat making its way into Port Charles. Finally getting the fire to a good vibrancy, he turned to find Elizabeth standing by the window, just staring out at the trees. He wasn't worried about her safety as long as she stayed inside. He built this place to be impenetrable and he knows she is safe there. It was her mind that he was worried about.

Ever since they got into the cabin, Elizabeth has stood there at the window, just staring blankly outside. She hasn't said anything or moved an inch since she took up that spot by the window. While he tried to figure out something to say, Jason checked the messages on his phone. There were messages from Carly and Courtney. Some from Emily and the family. Turning it off again, Jason tossed it onto the mantel before walking over to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth?" he says carefully, making sure not to startle her. "Can you hear me?"

She doesn't speak, but she shakes her head yes, letting him know that she can hear him.

"Can you look at me?" Jason hates seeing her like this, she's in so much pain. "Please."

Jason watches her tense up a little, he could see her really debating it in her head, and when he thinks she won't turn, Elizabeth takes a deep breath and faces him. There was so much pain in her eyes, but, more than that, there's distance. The look is so cold. Every bad emotion that could be felt can be found in her blue eyes. All the light, all the happiness, is gone and it breaks something inside him.

"You should eat." Jason doesn't know what else to say. "I can make you something."

"I'm not hungry." she says, but he knows that's not true.

"You need to eat." Jason amends. "I'll make you something."

Elizabeth stares at him for a moment before shrugging. "Okay." she says, walking over to the couch and sitting down. "I'll eat."

"Good." Jason takes a deep breath, having a hard time accepting this Elizabeth. "You relax. I'll go cook."

"Okay." she voices, letting him know that she heard him.

Jason walks to the kitchen door, turning back to look at her and finding her just staring blankly into space. He didn't know how he'd get through to her, but he knew he had to. She wouldn't open up to Emily or her other friends, not even Lucky could get through the fog, so that left him. No matter what it takes, he will break through the fog and bring her back. He won't let Ric destroy the Elizabeth he's always known and loved. He couldn't let her spirit die.

"Any changes?" Jason says into his cellphone.

"He's searching for a hired assassin." Francis informs. "So far no leads have panned out, but he's calling in a lot of favors."

"Stay low." Jason pulls food out of the fridge. "I want to see what he does before we make our move."

"We'll be waiting for your call." Francis assures, knowing that this was the best move right now. "Do I even have to ask how she is?"

"Think me after I was shot and times it by ten." Jason sighs, starting up the stove. "Its taking everything just to get a single word out of her."

"You'll call if she needs us?"

"I'll call." Jason assures before ending the call and tossing it on the counter.

After making dinner, Jason walked back into the living room, finding her exactly where he left her. She didn't acknowledge his presence until he was standing in front of her with the plate of food and juice. Elizabeth didn't speak. She simply took what he was holding out and ate in silence. Not wanting to hover, Jason walked back into the kitchen. He had to call his wife and make sure she was okay. From her message it was evident that she knows what happened between him and Sonny.

"Jason?" his wife questions, worry in her voice.

"Its me." he confirms, sitting on the stool by the counter. "You okay?"

"Me? What about you?" Courtney counters. "Sonny's saying that you turned against him and threatened his life. What's going on Jason?"

"I can't explain." Jason sighs, hating that Sonny put his sister in the middle. "I don't want you in the middle of this."

"Jason, you're my husband and he's my brother." Courtney exclaimed. "I'm already in the middle of this."

"I'm sorry about this, but I won't be home for a while." Jason says carefully. "Not until this thing between me and Sonny is dealt with."

"Jason, why are you doing this?" Courtney asks pleadingly. "Think of everything you're throwing away. Sonny's your best friend!"

"And Elizabeth saved my life." Jason counters. "If not for her, I never would have been able to marry you. I wouldn't be alive."

"Jason...please." Courtney's eyes fill with tears. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me." Jason assures, hating that this was hurting her. "Elizabeth needs me right now. I'd think that you would understand that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Courtney dared to ask. "Why should I understand?"

"I protected you when you needed me." Jason states the obvious. "Right now, she needs me. Can you wait long enough for me to save her from Sonny?"

"How are you going to save her exactly?" Courtney counters, her heart aching because she knows the answer, but doesn't want to hear it.

"The only way I know how." Jason can hear the pain in her voice, but it didn't compare to Elizabeth's. "I'm sorry."

"What do I say to that?" Courtney asks, wishing that Elizabeth had stayed out of their lives. "You basically just said that you're going to kill my brother."

Jason wants to deny it, to keep this from her, but he can't. He's not the type to lie unless its essential and he doesn't lie to those he loves. So, in spite of himself, Jason does the next best thing and doesn't say anything. He waits for her to continue, knowing she will.

"Please don't do this." Courtney pleads, her free hand gripping the blanket beneath her. "Please."

"I'm sorry." Jason says sadly. "I owe her my life."

"If you do this, I might not be here waiting when the dust settles." Courtney manages to choke out. "Are you really ready to lose me for her?"

"I have to keep her safe." Jason says, wishing they weren't at this fork in the road. "I'll live with whatever choice you make in regard to our marriage."

"Do you even care that I just said I might not be waiting for you?"

"It doesn't matter what I feel or care about." Jason says plainly. "I have to keep her safe. I can't make you accept it. I can't make you stay with me when the dust settles. Whatever you decide, I'll accept it, but I can't tell you that I'm not going to protect Elizabeth because I'm already doing it."

"Jason, please." Courtney pleads one last time. "I thought you love me."

"I do love you." Jason assures her. "But this is who I am and either you accept that or you don't."

"That's not fair."

"Maybe not, but its what it is." Jason runs a hand down his face. "I'm sorry this is hurting you, but I can't back down. I'm sorry."

"Jason..." Courtney chokes out through her tears. "Please."

"I have to go." Jason tries to not let her tears affect him. "I'll call again when I can."

Jason ends the call before she can say anything else, knowing that this was truly hurting her, but knowing he can't stop what's already happened. For the first time in their entire lives together, he and Sonny are on opposite sides of the playing field and there's nothing he can do to change that. The only way to get back on Sonny's side would be to let him kill Elizabeth and there was no way in hell Jason would let that happen. So, even though its hurting his wife, Jason made his choice and its to keep going. Sonny's wrong and Jason won't take it lying down.

It doesn't matter what he feels for Courtney, right now Elizabeth needs him and she had to be his priority. If his marriage collapses because of it, so be it. He owed Elizabeth so much and that meant standing against his entire life. Sonny's rule was to never go after families, women and children were off limits, no exceptions. Even if his friend turned his back on that rule, Jason won't stop believing in it. You don't go after anyone smaller or weaker than yourself. Sonny taught him that and Jason won't let him hurt Elizabeth. He's going to protect her until his dying breath, even if it meant losing Courtney. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but he'll accept it if it does.

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for sharing your thoughts.**

**Can't wait to see what you think about this chapter.**

**-ROCkER**


	4. Chapter 4

Its the dead of night and Elizabeth is sitting up in the bedroom she's to live in while this mess with Sonny is being dealt with. A part of her wondered what was wrong with Sonny? Why would he defend someone that rapped his wife and hurt his sister? For a man that puts women's safety above anything else, his family's safety, how could he defend someone like Ric?

Sure, if she thought about it, Ric's family too, but there has to come a point where you say enough is enough and cut all ties. It was bad enough that everything with her husband was a lie. It was bad enough that she couldn't trust her own judgement because she had screwed up so badly with Ric, but she and Sonny went back years. She held him when he lost his baby with Carly. She got down on her knees and she held him while he cried. She held him until he was ready to let go and she felt his pain.

Looking back, she understands that her and Sonny's friendship died long ago, but there was no way that she was worse than Ric. Sure, she hates Carly with a passion, not like the feeling isn't mutual, and she can't stand Courtney any more than she can stand Carly, but she's never hurt either women. She's never taken their choice away or caused them unspeakable pain. Running her fingers through her hair, Elizabeth pushed off the covers and walked over to the window.

Sleep has evaded her since she was arrested. The night just kept playing over and over again. Staring out of the window, Elizabeth tried to think of better times, happier times. Every time she tried to think of a good time, a bad memory will block it out. She tried to think of anything, ANYTHING, to override the memories, but nothing came up. The anger started to bubble up when all she could see as she stared out the window was Ric's face. Laughing at her. Telling her how stupid she had to have been to fall for all his crap.

Grabbing the first thing she could get in her hands, Elizabeth threw it as hard as she could at the wall. She was just so angry and hurt. Jason jumped out of bed and ran for her door when all he could hear was her screaming. She was screaming so loud, he could hear the tears within them. Pulling open the door, Jason found her kneeling on the floor, her entire room practically destroyed. Walking carefully around the destruction, Jason knelt down beside her, her eyes meeting his once she realizes he's there.

"I hate him." she states, the pain so vibrant in her eyes. "I hate him for making me believe in him."

She stares at him as if waiting for him to say I told you so, but Jason doesn't. He doesn't speak. He just waits for her to get it out there because he knows that she's been bottling it up for the last few days and it was time for her to just lay it out in the open. To bare all and hopefully overcome it all.

"I trusted him! I trusted him to love me and to be honest!" Elizabeth nearly shouts. "Why am I always falling for men that don't really want me? Lucky didn't want me! He wanted Sarah! He'll always want Sarah, even though they're not together right now...they will be. You...I wasn't enough for you! I wasn't good enough for you. Then there's Ric...god, Ric. He only wanted me to get at you. As if I even mattered enough for to bother you. Ric's whole life was about you and Sonny. Why am I never enough? Why am I never good enough? Answer me, dammit!"

Jason simply wraps his arms around her as she starts to cry. Even as he's holding her she's shouting why wasn't she good enough, but he didn't speak. He just let her get it all out. He'll talk to her when the emotion has run its course, but for now, he'll just hold her. Jason didn't know why she believed all the things she believed, but he'll deal with it later. Right now, all she needs is for him to hold her and he'll do that. Because no matter what he said in that moment, nothing would sink in and he wanted her to hear him when he spoke.

Carly paces her mother's living room. With Sonny the way he is, she had to get Michael out of the penthouse for the night. She had so much to think through, for the first time, Elizabeth is the one that plagues her thoughts. She couldn't help but feel responsible for what Elizabeth did. She wanted the muffin faced woman to open her eyes, but she never thought that she'd kill that bastard. Carly couldn't help but feel guilty because she helped break the woman and it wasn't right. No matter how much she can't stand her, it wasn't right for her to bring up Elizabeth's rape, even if Ric did the same thing to her.

Guilt and regret are two things that never sit well with Carly, even more so when its over a person she can't stand and doesn't even like. Normally she would be all over Jason for choosing Elizabeth over his wife, but circumstances aren't normal. Sonny is after the blood of a woman that Jason cares about and, no matter how much she hated what Courtney's going through, Carly couldn't be upset about it. Jason would do the same thing if she were in Elizabeth's position and it was only fair to accept Jason doing it for the muffin.

"What's got you up this late?" her mother spoke, turning on the light. "Or do I not want to know?"

"Its complicated." Carly sighs, walking over to sit on the couch. "I don't really have to tell you much since you watch the news."

"This is about Elizabeth?" Bobbie guesses, confused as to why her daughter would be losing sleep over a woman she can't stand. "Why would her situation keep you awake?"

"Ric is...well, was Sonny's brother." Carly explains. "Now that Elizabeth has killed Ric...well you know how Sonny is with family."

"Of all the underhanded things that I've heard about Sonny...I cannot believe he's going after Elizabeth." Bobbie shook her head, knowing there was nothing she could do about it.

"Yeah, well, Jason has gone against Sonny and now everything is just so mixed up." Carly got up and started pacing again. "Jason's protecting Elizabeth at all costs and it just might cost him Courtney. I want to help her, but I can't tell Jason to not save Elizabeth, it wouldn't be fair. Not when I had a hand it what she did."

"Had a hand in it, how?"

"I told Elizabeth about what Ric did to me and Courtney." Carly says regretfully. "I rubbed it in that he wasn't the man she thought he was and I may have used her own rape against her."

"Oh, Carly!" Bobbie exclaimed, truly disappointed about that.

"I know it was a low blow." Carly sighed, plopping down on the couch. "I know that I'm partly responsible for what Elizabeth did and I'm just conflicted on who to stand behind. Courtney...or the muffin."

"Don't choose a side." Bobbie suggests. "Just let things run their course. The one you should focus on is Michael. Let everyone else live their lives and just be there."

"Have we met?" Carly raised her eyebrow. "I'm not the sit back and watch type of woman. I have to be on a side and I'm just having a hard time figuring that out."

"Okay, fine." Bobbie took a deep breath. "What would Jason tell you to do in times like this?"

Groaning, Carly spoke the truth. "He'd tell me to count to ten, take a deep breath, and take a step back from the situation."

"Then do it." Bobbie leant over and kissed her forehead. "And get to bed because Michael will need you in the morning."

"Thanks, mom." Carly says before walking over to the window, Bobbie making her way up the stairs. "If only it were that simple."

Picking Elizabeth up off the floor, Jason carried her to the bed. He hates what this is doing to her, but the sooner she gets through every emotion that she's feeling, the sooner he'll be able to break through to her. So he laid with her in bed, he held her close, and he let her feel whatever emotion was running through her. The anger was out of the way, the room paid the price for that, but it was worth it to get the emotion burnt out.

The next emotion that rushed through her is the hurt. She's crying, her tears going silent because the sobs have stopped, but the tears were still falling. He tried to untangle himself from her, but she was gripping him so tight that it was impossible. So instead of prying her hold of him loose, Jason laid there and held her. He didn't know if this would help her or if nothing would change in the morning, but he had to hope for something. Without hope in a better tomorrow for Elizabeth, he'd probably fly off the handle too and she didn't need that from him. Not now. Not after everything she's been through.

In spite of himself, in spite of everything he believes in, Jason can't help but wonder what their lives would be like if he just fought a little harder. If he didn't follow his orders and told her the truth, if she had just trusted him a little more, if they were both stronger than they were. It hurt his head to think about it, but he couldn't help it. The thoughts found their way into his head and they didn't stop. She wouldn't be broken like she is. If only he went against Sonny sooner, she wouldn't be like this. She wouldn't be hurting like this.

Ric is of Sonny's creation and he never would have been in Elizabeth's life if not for him and Sonny. He tried to warn her, but she was too hurt to listen. He hurt her and he didn't mean to, but he did. Yes, he was hurt by her too, but he's strong enough to move past it. She wasn't strong enough and she turned to the next man to cross her path. Right then, even though he didn't like the man anymore than he liked Ric, he would have preferred if Lucky was the one she turned to. At least he wouldn't have destroyed her the way Ric has.

"I'm sorry." Jason whispers, taking a deep breath in as she sleeps in his embrace. "I'm sorry for whatever part I played in this. I'm just so sorry. I'll fix this somehow, I don't know how, but I will."

Settling in for the night, Jason closes his eyes as his arms secure themselves around Elizabeth. Her breathing was still shaky, even though she has long since gone to sleep. Holding her, a memory of a conversation he had with Courtney came to mind. He never really lied before until the lie escaped and there was no taking it back. He was amazed that she believed him, when the words were practically choked out of him. He didn't know what else to say. Should he have told her that, yes he did love Elizabeth, and yes she'd always matter.

He knew women enough to know that it would have been a huge mistake to divulge that part of him. He closed off the part of him that Elizabeth inhabited and he kept it away from the rest of his life. They both had their parts in the end of what they had and it wouldn't be fair to say that it was all Elizabeth's fault or his either. It ended and the why just doesn't matter at this point. Laying there with Elizabeth, he couldn't help think back. The lie started with Sonny's death and more lies grew from it. It was why he hate lying. You lie once and it just grows and grows until in consumes you.

"What's best for you, is for you to stay out of it." Sonny stated, staring at his sister as she tried to sit up. "What's going on between me and Jason has nothing to do with you."

"Sonny, please! I'm begging you." Courtney's tears started to fall. "Just leave Elizabeth alone and let Jason come back to me...please! I can't lose him."

"Jason made his choice." Sonny says without remorse. "It is what it is and you need to stop defending him. Unless you've missed it, he didn't choose you, Courtney."

"You forced his hand!" Courtney exclaimed. "He'd be with me right now if you weren't trying to kill Elizabeth."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Sonny shook his head, grabbing his coat. "Regardless of what you have said, Jason chose to turn against me. I'm going to deal with him how I would anyone else."

"He sacrificed his life for you!" Courtney nearly shouts. "How can you treat him like any thug off the street? Jason dedicated his life to you! Why can't you let this go?"

"If it were you that Elizabeth killed and not Ric, would you want me to let it go?" Sonny countered. "I owe it to my mother to avenge Ric's death."

"Even though he raped your wife and nearly killed me?" Courtney challenged. "Why are you choosing to defend someone like that?"

"He's family." Sonny states before walking out the door, prompting her to call Jason's phone again, but only getting voicemail.

"Jason, please, rethink this. Sonny's not in the right mind to stop so that leaves it on you." Courtney pleaded, her voice a little shaky. "If you truly love me, stop this before it gets too far. Please, Jason!"

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for keeping with the reviews.**

**This chapter was a little hard to write, a broken Elizabeth is never a sight I'd want to see, much less write.**

**Let me know what you think.**

**-ROCkER**


	5. Chapter 5

The sound of gunfire jolts Jason awake from his slumber. Not seeing Elizabeth in bed next to him, he rushes to out of the bedroom with his gun that he kept in the side drawer. Calling out to her, Jason searches the entire place to find that she wasn't there. Following the sound of the gunfire, Jason finds her outback with earmuffs on, taking aim at some empty bottles a good distance away.

"Did I wake you?" Elizabeth asks, not even glancing at him as she reloads the gun.

"Yeah." Jason puts his hand over hers, stopping her from taking aim. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Elizabeth counters, arching her eyebrow in defiance. "I'm teaching myself how to use a gun."

"You hate guns." Jason eyes her intently. "So I ask again, what are you doing?"

"Me hating guns didn't stop me from killing my husband." Elizabeth yanks the gun out of his grasp, taking aim at the bottles again. "I need to do this. Don't try and stop me."

"Killing Ric doesn't make you a killer." Jason successfully takes the gun away from her. "Stop acting like it does."

"Only if you stop acting like it doesn't change who I am." Elizabeth looks at him and he can see a fight in her eyes, the defiance that he knows very well and it gives him some hope. "I killed someone."

"Not nearly as many as I have." Jason says sternly. "Rack up the body count I have and then we'll talk."

"Stop talking to me like that!"

"Like what?" Jason challenges her. "I'm just stating fact."

"No. You're patronizing me." Elizabeth states, standing toe-to-toe with him. "I did what I did. No matter how bad he was, I still took a person's life."

"If I could go back to that night, I'd gladly do it." Jason concedes, securing the gun at the small of his back. "I'd make it to where I killed Ric instead of you, but I can't and neither can you."

"Exactly. You can't." Elizabeth places the earmuffs in his hands. "I killed Ric and nothing you say or do will change that."

Elizabeth walks back into the house, having enough of gun practice for now. Jason looks at the bottles, taking aim and breaking the remaining bottles. With some of his frustration out, he walks into the house in search of Elizabeth, finding her in her room.

"What do you want from me?" Jason asks, leaning against the frame of the door. "Do you want me to call you a murderer? To tell you that you're going to hell for killing a man that deserved it?"

"I just want my life back. I want to go back to a time where killing someone didn't feel justifiable to me." Elizabeth states, sitting down on the bed. "To a time when the idea of me ever killing my own husband and setting a house on fire his body inside was nothing but a sick, twisted nightmare."

"You weren't yourself." Jason points out, not sure if he should walk over to her or not. "In case you've forgotten, he was drugging you."

"I haven't forgotten." Elizabeth looks at him, really looks at him. "I don't get you."

"What's to get?"

"Why are you here?" Elizabeth questions seriously. "Why does it have to be you that saves me?"

"I'm gonna make breakfast." Jason pushes away from the doorway. "Try not to target practice with my guns. We're gonna need the ammo."

Elizabeth watches him walk out of the room, not overlooking the fact that he didn't answer her question. With a sigh, she laid back against the bed, wondering if she'd ever get over the fact that she killed her own husband. Shooting the gun, not aiming at a person, helped ease her pain a little.

"I don't know what to do." Courtney says with frustration. "I've called him and called him, but still no answer."

"He doesn't want to be traced." Carly tries to defend Jason, but she knows Courtney's truly freaking out. "Jason's doing what he feels is right. We can't fault him for that."

"He's supposed to love me." Courtney points out. "If he really loved me he wouldn't be doing this."

"There's your mistake." Carly shakes her head. "What Jason's doing has nothing to do with you...no offence, but none of this has anything to do with you."

"He's my husband and Sonny's my brother." Courtney exclaims. "I can't just sit on the sidelines and watch them kill each other."

"What other choice do you have?" Carly counters, eyeing her intently. "Sonny and Jason are going to do what they've gotta do. There's no reasoning with either of them."

"Have you tried?" Courtney arches her eyebrow. "Have you tried to talk to either of them?"

"Why waste my breath?" Carly walks over to the fridge to get something to drink. "Sonny feels justified and Jason is justified. Talking to them would be like talking to this box of milk. Pointless and certifiable."

"I can't do nothing." Courtney grabs her coat, walking to the door.

"And what exactly are you going to do?" Carly challenges. "Talk sense into Sonny? Try and track Jason down? What?"

"I don't know!" Courtney snaps. "I just can't do nothing."

Jason's cooking breakfast in the kitchen, his phone constantly vibrating, but he doesn't answer. He lets each call go straight to voicemail. He knew who it was and he couldn't focus on her right now. As much as he loved her, Elizabeth needs him more. Courtney will just have to choose for herself if he's what she wants or not. They've all made their choices and they had to stick with it. Regardless of what happens next.

"You ever gonna answer my question?" Elizabeth says from the doorway. "I need to know, Jason."

"What you need is to eat." Jason counters, shutting off the stove. "Get the plates on the bottom shelf."

"You're risking a lot by being here." Elizabeth points out, stopping him from opening the fridge by blocking his way. "Why are you doing this?"

"I need to get us something to drink." Jason avoids the question, eyeing her to move out of the way.

"Johnny or Francis can be the ones to stay with me." Elizabeth says firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're married to someone you love, you shouldn't be here."

"Yet here I am." Jason says, giving up avoiding her questions. "Like you killing Ric, that's not going to change."

"But WHY?" Elizabeth practically shouts. "Why are you here?"

"Why does it matter?" Jason says through gritted teeth.

"Because it just does!" Elizabeth says angrily. "Tell me the truth, Jason! Why are you here?"

"I'm here." Jason says firmly. "Take it for what it is."

"I would if I knew what that was!" Elizabeth exclaims. "Tell me! Just say it! Why are you here?"

"Because no matter what has happened between us, I still love you!" Jason shouts, shocked once the words escape his lips. "I've always loved you...I probably always will."

With that Jason walks out of the house, leaving a stunned Elizabeth in his wake. The words throw her for a loop, she couldn't believe they came out of his mouth. Jason was just as shocked, unable to believe that he let the words pass his lips. She just wouldn't shut up. She wouldn't stop pushing him until the words could do nothing but escape. Somewhere deep inside, they both knew that nothing would be the same, but they both knew they had bigger problems than their underlying feelings.

**A/N: Thanks for keeping with the reviews.**

**Let me know what you think.**

**-ROCkER**


	6. Chapter 6

Night has long since fallen by the time Jason makes his way back to the cabin. He couldn't bring himself to face her just yet, to realize that the words had indeed been spoken and a desperately hidden truth has come to light.

Making his entrance a silent one, he walks through the house, unable to resist checking in on her - to make sure she's okay. He hated that he walked out on her in the middle of this chaotic time. Her persistence wasn't something new, neither was her stubbornness, which meant that he should have been able to handle her pushing his buttons.

For the life of him, he just couldn't stand it, not with everything else hanging over them. He can blame it on the stress and the fact that they could both die at any given moment, but - simply put - he lost control. Something that happens more than he likes it to when Elizabeth is involved. Being around her always had that affect on him and he had hoped he'd have it under control by now.

_"Do you know what nothing feels like?"_

..._"Yeah, that's pretty much where I live."_...

_"Come on. I want to show you how I get away."_

..._"You're not just Emily's brother anymore, you know?"_...

In spite of himself, memories of her start to fill his mind, replaying all the good times they had together. Though, there are many bad memories, times when he wanted nothing to do with her, Jason couldn't think of a single one in that moment.

_"It was so loud I couldn't think."_

_..."You've got the bug."..._

_"What bug?"_

_..."You like to ride."..._

_"You listen to me think."_

_..."Until someone loves you...and you love them...then their rules have to matter, too."..._

_"I owe Robin...she taught me most of what I know. Well, half anyway, Sonny taught me the other half."_

_..."Well that explains, a lot."..._

_"Guess what I wanna do?"_

_..."Go nowhere?"..._

_"Fast."_

And they did. Every moment spent with her on the back of his motorcycle became moments he never wanted to end. Moments that he has kept in the recess of his mind, to look back on whenever missing her became too much to bear.

His bike had always been their common ground. A place for them to turn when the rest of their lives were too complicated and the words just wouldn't form. When things grew to be too much between them, they fall back on riding. A place to start when it seemed hopeless. But then, like everything else, riding lost its flair. The problems became too much for a simple ride to cure.

_"I'm glad I was there."_

_"Me, too. I'm so glad you're home."_

And that's how it always was. Forsaking the words, he always knew that she was glad to see him. Even if she says contrary to that, he knows, deep inside, that she wanted him to keep popping up. To keep inserting himself in her life. To always be there.

But then their different lives pushed them too far away. Holding themselves to different moral codes, they just couldn't make it work. Of course, if he were honest with himself, he'd admit that part of him didn't want them to work. That the feelings between them was just too strong for him to bear, that she was just too good for his life...too good for him.

She had never imagined her marrying a man like Ric. Almost certain that she would turn back to her first love. Or that she'd shoot her own husband and set her home on fire with his body inside, yet she did that too. In spite of it all, Jason has found that he's intrigued with learning parts of Elizabeth he never knew existed.

"I wish I could change this last year." Jason gently runs his fingers through her hair, relishing in the fact that she didn't awaken. "I rarely ever wish for anything, but I wish I could fix us."

Rising to his feet, Jason leans over, placing a soft lingering kiss upon her temple before walking out of her bedroom. He knew things would be complicated with Elizabeth's life on the line, but he had never imagined it would get this complicated. A civil war is waging within him, between his head and his heart, not at all sure which he wants to let win over the other.

As more memories flood his mind, Jason stands by the window, staring out at the dirt road. Sonny won't stay quiet for much longer, he'll make his move soon enough and Jason's mind should be focused on that. He should be focusing on anticipating Sonny's next move, but he couldn't do it tonight.

With the revelation of his love for Elizabeth, he just can't stop the memories from filling his mind. Reminding him that the good times far outweighed the bad. That the love they shared was stronger than anything life has put them through. And he didn't doubt that. He doesn't doubt that she loves him just the same.

He also knows that he's married to a woman who deserved his loyalty. A woman that he pledged his life to, a woman that he stood before god and his friends, marrying her with a solemn oath. She doesn't deserve for him to let his heart stray, for him to think of Elizabeth the way he is, but he couldn't help it. Apparently, he had no control of the memories or the love he felt in abundance.

Morning comes and goes, they make it through the day saying little to nothing to each other. He wasn't sure if she knew that he wasn't ready to talk or if she just wasn't ready either, but he was glad she didn't try to get him to leave again. That she didn't push his buttons the way she had the previous day.

Elizabeth makes it through the day with a civil war of her own waging inside her. Her mind and her heart. Her head tells her all the reasons why it shouldn't matter that Jason loved her. That he would always love her. There was just too much hurt there. A million reasons why it would never work. Why it would be crazy to even think of falling back into that again.

Her heart, however, was a different story. It was screaming at her to remember all the good times. All the times that she embraced that love and felt the most alive she has ever felt. Reminding her how good it felt to be in his arms. To be loved by him. What it felt like to kiss him. To be let in and trusted by him. How good it felt when he lets her take care of him.

Night falls again, they go their separate ways, retiring to their own bedrooms. Both falling asleep thinking of the other, their own personal civil wars waging on through the night. Both afraid to take that step, to let the other back in completely, to trust each other and love each other. The question left unanswered, is the risk of being torn apart again worth the possibility of making it work?

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Let me know what you think about the update. Don't be afraid to be blunt.**

**-ROCkER**


	7. Chapter 7

Once again they are overcome with an empty silence, sitting together having breakfast. Jason wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure what he could say. Normally, Elizabeth would be the one to run off at the mouth, giving him some help as to what to say, but she hasn't said anything since she woke up this morning.

With the exception of good morning, of course, always one to be polite. Something he hated about her. When she's polite, especially towards him, its always because she had a lot to say, but didn't want to voice any of it. Trying to think of a way to make their time there bearable, Jason finally figures out a way to get her talking.

"Do you still want to learn how to use a gun?" Jason questions, pushing his empty plate to the side.

"What?" she looks up at him, obviously stunned by his question and possible implication.

"Do you still want to learn how to use a gun?" he repeats himself patiently, knowing she had been lost in her own world when he asked the first time.

"Uh, yes?" she looks at him curiously.

"Its a simple question, Liz." he says, rising to his feet. "Yes or no?"

"Yes." she says more confidently, rising to her feet, as well. "What about the dishes?"

"Leave them. I'll meet you outside." he says simply, walking away to get his guns.

Elizabeth stared after him, a little confused by the suggestion, but not one to pass it up. She may have hated guns, but she found that shooting made her feel calm. It helped her relieve the pent up stress and cleared her head - almost as well as a bike ride.

Glancing at the dishes, Elizabeth takes a deep breath before walking out of the cabin, leaving them where they sat. It didn't take long for Jason to come back out with the guns. She had questioned him about the ammo, only to be told that he used it as an excuse to get her to stop.

They had more than enough ammo stored up that having target practice wouldn't put them at any risk. Once he showed her how to stand and balance the weight of the gun in her hands, Jason started showing her how to aim it properly and how to squeeze the trigger.

"You can't be nervous." Jason says seriously. "And you can't hesitate, you understand me? The difference between you getting shot or the other person is a split second. Hesitation is your worst enemy."

"Got it." Elizabeth assures, staring down the gun at the target. "Don't hesitate."

"Right." Jason fixes her hold on the gun again. "Stop moving your hand. Keep it where I placed it."

"Sorry." she sighs, allowing him to fix her hold again.

"And ease up on the hold." Jason says firmly. "You want to hold it firmly, but you don't want to choke up on it."

"Okay." she takes it in, making a mental reminder on it.

"Good." Jason steps away, looking at her posture and pleased with how fast she was taking to it. "Good. Now try shooting off a couple rounds and tell me how it feels."

Elizabeth does as he says and fires off a couple rounds, finding that her new stance felt more natural. With a slight smirk, she fires off a few more rounds, thoroughly enjoying the feel of the gun going off in the palm of her hands. Jason allows her to keep shooting until she empties her clip.

"How did it feel?" Jason questions, taking the gun from her to switch out the clips.

"It felt great." Elizabeth admits, setting the muffs down. "I guess a good stance changes a lot."

"When you've got the right holding on a gun, the shooting is a lot easier." Jason explains, handing her back the loaded gun. "There's not much of a kick once you get used to shooting it."

"Am I allowed to ask why you've decided to teach me?" Elizabeth questions, fixing her hold on the gun to how he taught her.

"I figured it was better to teach you than for you to hurt yourself trying to learn on your own." he says simply, walking up behind her. "And its better for you to know this stuff in case I can't get to you and you need to defend yourself."

"Right." the weight of their situation suddenly settling in, remind her that they were still in a lot of danger from Sonny.

"Okay, now I want you to try a different stand."

Jason uses his hands to change the position of her legs, showing her how to stand when she's facing off with someone knocked on the ground. He tells her to always put her weight on her back foot and never put the gun within reach. Demonstrating it for her with his own gun.

"When you're facing off with someone, you shoot their legs, making sure they can't move." Jason says, pointing to his thighs. "If you think you can run, run. If not, then pop off another shot to the head or heart, whichever you have a better shot at."

"Got it."

"If you're taken by surprise and are in immediate danger, you pop off three rounds in their chest and you run." Jason says seriously. "Don't tell them you have a gun, don't try to negotiate, you just shoot and run. Got it?"

"Yeah." she assures him. "In immediate danger, shoot and run. Got it."

"Listen, Liz, I'm going to try my best to always be there." Jason promises. "But if this thing gets out of hand, I need to know you can handle yourself, okay? I need to know you won't freeze up or hesitate."

"I won't." she promises, the severity of their situation having already sunk in. "Its our lives on the line, Jason, I won't hesitate."

"Okay." he takes a deep breath before moving to kneel down in front of her. "Do what I told you."

Elizabeth fixes her stance, doing it exactly how he taught her, eliciting his approval. Next, he situates a full body target a few feet from her, telling her to do what he told her to. She fires off the shots to the legs before firing off a shot to the head.

"Good." Jason approves, walking over to her. "You need to feel natural in the standings, when the danger level is high, you won't have time to think. You just have to act and protect yourself."

"I know." Elizabeth says with conviction. "Jason, I know, okay?"

"Okay." Jason shakes his head, still worried about Sonny's threat hanging over their heads. "I'm gonna teach you how to handle one more situation."

Jason moves her legs to a certain position before changing her hold on the gun. She pays close attention to everything he tells her, how to shift her weight, how to hold the gun so it doesn't get taken from her. He emphasizes that she can never close her eyes when shooting, that it may be hard, but she has to see what she's shooting at or the other person can get the upper hand.

"If you're hidden and they're looking for you, do not take a shot until you know you've got a clear shot." Jason says seriously. "You don't want them to use your missed shot as a way to find you."

"Okay." Elizabeth says, shaking her head.

"Above all else, Elizabeth, follow your instincts." Jason takes the gun from her. "You've got good ones...use them. It'll help you stay alive."

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Let me know what you think about the update. Don't be afraid to be blunt.**

**-ROCkER**


	8. Chapter 8

They spent a few more hours practicing her stances and her aim, making sure that the gun was starting to feel like an extension of herself. She had to be one with her gun, to be used to shooting it, in order to ensure that she was at ease with it when the time came for her to shoot it.

He hated the thought of her having to shoot someone again, but he knew it was inevitable with the situation they are in. Just because Johnny and Francis have stalled Sonny, it didn't mean that the threat was gone or that it was less lethal. She needs to know how to protect herself. Not out of fear, but using her strength to survive.

Before either of them saw it coming, the rain poured down fast, catching them in the downpour. Running for the cabin, being sure to grab their guns, Jason couldn't help but smile when he heard a familiar sound ring through the air. She was laughing. Not one of her fake laughs either...her real, vibrant, laugh.

"I'm gonna get us some towels." Elizabeth says softly, laughing as she walks out of the kitchen.

Jason watches her leave before forcing himself to clear the dishes and push her out of his mind. In spite of himself, after the dishes are cleared and loaded in the dishwasher, Jason's thoughts travel back to their gun lesson. He tried to keep it as professional as he could manage.

He kept his mask up, telling her all the technical rules, needing her to listen and learn. It didn't mean that he didn't notice how her body reacted to him. When his hands slid up her legs, positioning her in the right stance, he felt her muscles tighten under his embraces.

He could hear her breathing hitch a few times, whenever he slid his hands down her arms to show her how to position her hands, he watched as she bit her lip more than a few times. Her reactions to him elicited a primal reaction from him. He found himself licking his lips more than a few times, his heart rate picking up whenever he positioned her legs, his ring forces him to remember he's still married.

The ring makes him feel guilty, for the thoughts and the way he felt as he taught her how to shoot the gun. He'd be lying if he said that Elizabeth holding a gun wasn't a sight to behold. A sight he had wanted to see more times than he's proud of. Of course, this wasn't how he imagined it, but teaching her was definitely something else.

Elizabeth had felt him reacting to her, as well. She felt the way he caressed her, the way his hands lingered a little longer than they should, making her react to him just the same. She tried to keep it professional, technical even, needing to learn everything he was teaching her.

That didn't mean that she wasn't a woman. She reacted to everything he was doing to her, albeit she kept it under the surface, but she definitely wanted to try it again. It has been such a long time since he touched her like that. So openly without hesitation. Like he knew she didn't mind it. That she welcomed his hands on her body.

They've yet to talk about his confession, knowing that he couldn't handle talking about it just yet and neither could she. After all, she killed her husband and her brother-in-law wants her dead. In turn, he wants Jason dead for going against him. Something she felt bad for.

Grabbing the towels, she walks into the living room, finding him waiting for her there instead of the kitchen. With a slight smile, she hands him the towel before drying herself off. While she does that, Elizabeth walks over to the sound system, it wasn't much, but it could do the trick in drowning out the storm.

"Liz?" Jason walks over to her, having tossed his towel on the couch after drying off the rain from his body.

"Yeah?" she turns to look at him, still drying her hair.

"You okay?" he asks, standing in front of her, needing to look her in the eyes when she answers him.

"Yeah." she smiles slightly, ceasing the attempt to dry her hair. "I'm okay."

"You know..." Jason takes a deep breath. "You know that I wish you didn't have to be in this situation, right?"

"I know." she assures, absentmindedly reaching up and touching his arm soothingly. "You couldn't have seen this coming, Jason. Things happen that are out of our control."

"I guess."

"I'm not sure if I ever thanked you." Elizabeth remembers her thoughts from before. "You put your life on hold, practically risking it, because of me. After everything we've been through, it shouldn't be you, yet it is...so thank you."

"I wouldn't be anywhere but here." Jason assures her. "Ric went after you because of me and Sonny...none of this is your fault."

"Still...thank you for what you're doing." Elizabeth drops her hand and he immediately feels the loss. "I know it couldn't have been easy to turn your back on Sonny."

"It wasn't." Jason admits, he had fought with himself over the decision, but it was the right choice in the end. "But, even if I die in the end, I'd do it again as long as you lived."

"Don't say that." Elizabeth says seriously, staring up at him. "Don't talk like that. You can't die...you won't."

"It could happen, Liz." Jason counters, needing her to realize that he could very well die in order to protect her. "You can't deny it or hide from it."

"You're not going to die!" Elizabeth snaps at him, turning away from him. "You're not going to. Stop talking like that."

"Okay." he relents, turning her around to look at him. "I'm sorry...I just want you prepared."

"We'll make it, Jason." Elizabeth says seriously. "Its you and me...we've survived a lot worse...we'll survive this."

"Okay." he concedes, letting her have this much, but hoping she comes around to understanding that the risks of him dying are really high. Especially with her life on the line.

"Sorry to break up this little moment you've got going on, but you two need to get out of here now." Francis rushes through the front door with Johnny. "We've got a car waiting out front. Take it to the safe house in Canada. We'll call you from there."

Jason and Elizabeth were a little disoriented by the sudden intrusion, but their bodies moved quickly before their minds could catch up. They gathered whatever they needed and jumped into the car, making sure they had their guns, speeding off into the night.

He wasn't sure if he was angry or relieved that they had busted in at that precise moment. The way the conversation was going with Elizabeth, he was almost certain they'd have been kissing before the night was out.

While they drove, Francis and Johnny cleaned up any trace of Jason and Elizabeth, making sure that when Sonny's men got there, they'd believe that none of them were ever there. The two guards weren't sure how Sonny found out about the safe house, but they will find out before the night is out.

They both knew that Jason and Elizabeth would be safe inside, but they also knew that they couldn't stay in there forever. They'd run out of supplies, then they'd either die trying to escape or die of starvation. Its better than they ran now instead of being sitting ducks.

"What now?" Johnny asks as they speed away from the safe house, knowing its only a matter of time before Sonny's people get there.

"I don't know." Francis admits sadly. "We can't keep them running for long."

"You saying what I think you're saying?"

"We're going to have to take a stand soon." Francis sighs, taking a turn off the beaten path. "We need to get ahead of Sonny...we need to find a way to stop him and soon."

"But we..." Johnny gestures between the two of them. "...can't do anything. Jason needs us on the inside."

"I know that." Francis snaps, trying to think through their situation. "Which is why we have to think of something to draw his attention away from Jason and Liz."

"So...what do we do?"

"I'm thinking." he says seriously. "Do us both a favor and just let me do that."

"Whatever you say." Johnny concedes, reclining in his chair. "Let me know when you've thought of something."

Jason and Elizabeth drive as fast as they can without drawing attention to them. They abide by the speed limits as much as possible, doing whatever they can to keep off the main roads and make it to their destination. He could see that she was a little shaken up by Francis barging in, undoubtedly scaring her, but she kept her cool and he appreciated that.

"So...Canada?" Elizabeth finally asks, still staring out the window.

"Looks like it." Jason can see that she was trying her best to be okay with everything. "We're gonna be okay, Liz. Trust that."

"I know." she sighs, turning to look at him. "Its not just us that I'm worried about."

"Johnny and Francis can handle themselves." Jason reassures her. "They're the best at what they do."

"If you say so." she turns back to look out at the passing scenery. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Hey." he stopped at a red light, taking her hand in his. "We're going to do our best to keep everyone safe, okay?"

"I know we'll try, but while we're running, they are stuck with Sonny." Elizabeth says with a sigh. "I just don't think its fair...that's all."

"So what do you want to do?" Jason questions, stepping on the gas, driving them closer to their destination. "Liz?"

"I think we should face the inevitable." Elizabeth says plainly. "We can't run forever."

"That doesn't tell me what you want us to do."

"You need to kill me."

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Let me know what you think about the update. Don't be afraid to be blunt.**

**-ROCkER**


	9. Chapter 9

He had to have heard her wrong. There was no way that she just told him he had to kill her. Pulling over to the side of the road, Jason turns to look at her, seriously look at her. What he saw didn't give him any relief. She had meant what she said. She seriously wanted him to kill her.

"No." Jason states firmly, pulling the car back onto the road. "Absolutely not."

"Let me explain."

"NO!" Jason snaps, driving faster and faster, needing to get to that damn safe house. "We'll find another way to put an end to this!"

"Jason..."

"No!"

"I..."

"NO!"

Letting it go for now, Elizabeth waits for them to get to the safe house. She knew he'd react like that, but she had to explain. She knows that if she is able to explain it to him, he'd understand what she was saying and he'd agree with her. Of course, she could have worded it a little differently than saying he had to kill her.

"Jason, will you let me explain, please?" Elizabeth says, walking through the door with him.

"I'm not killing you!" Jason states, dropping their things to the side, shutting the door swiftly. "I don't know how that can even enter your mind! I'm not killing you, you hear me? I'm not!"

"I know." she says loudly, needing him to hear her. "I just meant, you need to pretend to kill me."

"What?"

"You don't need to actually kill me." Elizabeth explains. "You just have to make Sonny believe you did."

Allowing her words to finally sink in, Jason walks over to the couch and sits down. He hates to admit that the idea held merit. If Sonny believes she's dead, it'll be safer for everyone. She'd be safe and it would give them more time to figure out a way to take Sonny down.

Though the idea was tempting, Jason couldn't bring himself to agree to it. If she is presumed dead, she wouldn't be able to see her family and friends, everyone would have to believe she was dead. He knows, in his heart, that she'd never be able to keep up a lie like that.

The lie of Sonny's death is what tore them apart and he knows she won't be able to do that to Emily or her grandmother. It would damn near kill both women and it wasn't fair to place that kind of burden on her. Lying to her had damn near killed him, seeing how much it had hurt her, he won't do that to her now.

"No." he says plainly. "We can't do it that way."

"Why not?" she challenges. "This way you can go back to your wife and you can do what you need to do from the inside."

"No." Jason states firmly. "We're not doing it that way."

"Jason..."

"NO!" he snaps. "Just...just go to bed."

"Yes, father." Elizabeth mutters, grabbing her things and walking off to choose a room - slamming the door behind her.

With a sigh, he checks the safe house, making sure the doors and windows are locked up before he settles in for the night. Deciding that sleep would be far from his grasp, he sits up cleaning their guns, ensuring they wouldn't malfunction if they need to use it.

"Morgan." he answers the safe house phone.

"Good, you're there already." Francis was glad they got there safely. "Johnny and I are working on a few things to split up Sonny's attention."

"Don't take any unnecessary risks." Jason states, glancing over at the door that was slammed shut a while ago. "Understand?"

"Understood." Francis replies, knowing that his request had everything to do with Elizabeth. "She sleeping yet?"

"Doubt it, why?"

"Can I talk to her?"

"Yeah...hold on."

Jason walks over to the door, knocking softly.

"I'm sleeping, father!" Elizabeth shouts from the other side.

"Francis is on the phone for you."

He hears her rush to the door, yanking it open before grabbing the phone and shutting it again. He knows that she wants to protect everyone, he just wishes she'd understand that he was trying to protect her, too. She will have a life after this and he'd rather she didn't have people angry with her after she "comes back to life".

"Hey, you." Francis's brotherly voice greets her. "How're you holding up?"

"As well as expected." she says simply. "How are you and Johnny? You're still good with Sonny, right?"

"He doesn't know we turned against him if that's what you mean." Francis counters. "We both wish we could be there with you..."

"Its okay." she assures him. "Francis...can I ask you something without you biting my head off like Jason?"

"Sure."

"Don't you think it would be better for everyone if Jason and I stopped running?"

"What do you mean?" Francis questions, not voicing his standing on it.

"I just think that if we faked my death and Sonny really believed it..." she lets her sentence fall, knowing he could understand.

"I admire what you're trying to do, really, Liz." Francis smiles slightly, knowing how hard it must have been for her to even suggest something like that. Especially after Sonny's fake death. "But...we're okay for now. We'll use it as a last resort, okay?"

"You don't like the idea either."

"Its a good idea." Francis assures. "But I don't think you understand what it'll take to convince Sonny."

"I know what it would take." Elizabeth states, remembering Sonny's fake death. "Its a good idea, Francis, and it could work."

"I'll think it over with Johnny and we'll get back to you, okay?" Francis concedes. "Its the best I got right now, Liz."

"Okay." Elizabeth sighs, laying back against her headboard. "But you're going to see that its a good idea."

"I'll let you know." Francis suppresses a sigh, knowing that they would eventually do what she asks. "Until then, give Jason a break."

"You playing the role of mommy now?"

"Liz..."

"What?"

"Give the guy a break, okay?" Francis asks softly. "You know Jason..."

"Yeah...I know." Elizabeth glances at the door. "I just hate this."

"We all do." Francis replies. "Just give us a chance...if what we're doing doesn't pan out...we'll do your thing."

"Promise?"

"I promise." he says with conviction. "Can you put him back on?"

"Sure." she slides off the bed. "I miss you guys."

"We miss you, too." Francis smiles slightly. "More than you know."

Opening the door, she isn't surprised to find him standing on the other side, a look on his face that had her feeling bad for snapping at him.

"Here." she hands him the phone. "And...sorry."

"Its okay." he smiles slightly, knowing she was just trying to solve it for them. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." she replies, closing the door before laying down in bed and shutting out the light.

"Yeah?" Jason holds the phone to his ear as he walks back over to the couch.

"Her idea...its a good one." Francis gets to the point.

"No." Jason states. "Drop it."

"Jason, with all due respect, it would be easier with you on this side." Francis says seriously. "Johnny and I can only do so much...you're her best shot at surviving this."

"If we make Sonny believe she's dead, I can't be with her." Jason points out. "I can't protect her and I'm not going to leave her on her own."

"We'll iron out the details." Francis insists. "Its the best idea we've got so far...if you have a better one, lay it on me."

"I hate this." Jason mutters, securing the clip in place. "Fine...set it up."

"This will work, Jason." Francis encourages. "You know it."

"Just do it and let me know." Jason snaps, ending the call abruptly. "Dammit."

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Let me know what you think about the update. Don't be afraid to be blunt.**

**-ROCkER**


	10. Chapter 10

Planning. That's what this would take. Lots and lots of planning upon planning upon planning. Francis and Johnny come up with a plan, only for Jason to shoot it down before they even got all the way through explaining it. It would be alright if it was one or two plans, but he has shot down eight of their plans so far.

They understood his trepidation with what they were planning, but he needed to come up with a plan and fast. The distractions they had set up to keep Sonny distracted would only last for so long. They needed to come up with a concrete plan and they needed one fast.

If they're going to really do the fake death thing, Jason needed to settle on a plan and fast. If not, they had to come up with something else before Sonny's attention becomes solely theirs again.

Obviously, Jason knows all this, but still he wouldn't settle on a plan. Elizabeth has been left out of the planning, Jason angry at the thought of her planning her own fake death, but she was slowly losing patience with the lot of them.

She's tired of being the victim. She wants to be a working part of this team and she'll be damned if they treated her as anything but an equal in this. Admittedly, she wouldn't ever want to be planning her own death, but she had good ideas. Hell, the fake death had been her idea in the first place.

"Seriously, man, think of something!" Johnny exclaims, clearly exasperated with the whole ordeal. "Either we're doing it or we're not...its just that simple."

"Shut it!" Francis snaps harshly, knowing how difficult this decision is for Jason. "We have enough time to come with a plan...we just have to put our heads together and figure it out."

Jason rises to his feet, walking over to the back window to watch as Elizabeth practices her aim. Teaching her had been a just-in-case kind of thing, he never wants her to actually fire the thing. Of course, the only way to prevent that is to pull off her plan, if only he could think of a way to do that while protecting her relationships with the people she loves.

There had to be a way to fool Sonny and keep everyone else lulled enough to go along with the plan. Staring out at her, Jason tries to think of the perfect plan, the perfect way to pull off her fake death. He can't be the one to kill her, that much he's sure of. Sonny would never believe he'd kill her. Not after the display he made when he turned his back on him. No. It has to be one of the other two.

Convincing Sonny after Elizabeth is "dead" won't be that hard. All Jason will have to do is use his wife to ensure Sonny doesn't kill him. As much as he hated the thought of using Courtney, it was the perfect way to keep Sonny from going postal on him.

Each plan was suitable because it all circled those two points, but still he couldn't choose the right one. The only problem with each plan is that Elizabeth would be on her own and everyone in her life will have to believe she was dead. Causing a rift between Elizabeth and the people she loves once they put an end to Sonny and bring her back from the "dead".

Ric Lansing was a sick and twisted bastard. There's no way in hell he's going to let Elizabeth suffer from the fallout if he can help it. No. He'll find a way to fake her death and keep those closest to her in the loop. There had to be a way to end this with minimal damage and Elizabeth's life intact.

Watching the way she shoots her gun so easily, Jason realizes just how much this entire situation has changed her. He doubts he can look at her as that girl he saved all those years ago at Jake's. Though she looked strong all those years ago, she's a lot stronger than he had ever imagined. In that, he realizes exactly what they had to do.

Turning to the bickering pair of guards, who seriously seemed worse than any old married couple, Jason cleared his throat and laid out what they are going to do. Johnny couldn't believe that Jason went from having no plan to coming up with the perfect plan in the span of five minutes. Francis, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all. Not with Elizabeth's life on the line.

"Get on it." Jason says seriously. "The sooner we do this, the sooner she can get back to her life."

"You, too, right? I'm sure you'd love to get back to Courtney." Johnny points out, eliciting a slight groan from Jason.

"Sure." Jason replies plainly. "Just let me know when the plan is in place."

"You got it." Francis says with conviction, ushering the big mouth Johnny out the door. "Seriously, John, you need to learn how to shut up."

"What?" Johnny looked at him confusedly. "What did I say?"

"Lets go." Francis states, pulling open the driver's side door and getting in.

"Seriously, what did I say?" Johnny pushes, getting into the passenger's side. "Come on, man, what did I say?"

"We have a lot to do." Francis counters, putting the car into reverse and getting them the hell out of there. "You'll see it for yourself, now shut up so I can think."

"Why do you need to think if we already have a..."

With a glare from Francis, he shuts his trap and reclines in his chair. He seriously didn't get what he said that was so wrong. While those two leave to put the plan into place, Jason walks out of the safe house and over to Elizabeth.

"I'm getting better, Jason." she says proudly, setting the gun down and taking off the earmuffs.

"I can tell." Jason comments, eyeing her targets and truly impressed with how accurate her shots are becoming. "Look, its just about lunch time. How about you put that on hold and help me cook?"

"You never let me help." Elizabeth looks at him curiously. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." he smiles slightly. "You even get to choose what we cook."

Elizabeth closes the distance between them, touching her hand to his forehead and looking at him curiously.

"What are you doing?" he arches his eyebrow at her.

"Just checking to see if you've come down with something, that's all." she laughs softly when he moves her hand from his forehead. "I'd like pasta."

"Okay." he licks his lips slightly before stepping sideways. "Lady's first."

"Why, thank you, kind sir." she says, laughing at his expression as she walks past him.

Jason watches her as she makes her way into the house. Ever since he started teaching her how to use the gun, she has become more relaxed and a hell of a lot calmer than she had been when he first whisked her away for her own protection.

They cook in silence, Elizabeth even volunteering to make her brownies that are famous among her friends. Jason relished in the ease that has settled over them. Even with the impending plan about to be their reality, Jason remained calm knowing that she was content in what they had to do. Of course, she doesn't know what he has planned for her at all.

Soon enough, day turned to night and Jason receives the call that everything is in place. Francis and Johnny will "find" him and Elizabeth, waiting for Jason to "leave" for groceries before poisoning Elizabeth. From there the plan will unfold as they inform Sonny and everything falls into place. They couldn't risk telling Sonny beforehand, none of them trusting that he'll leave it to Johnny and Francis otherwise.

As the night settles in around them, both knowing that tomorrow will be the start of it all, Jason and Elizabeth relax in the living room, both distracted with their own thoughts. Elizabeth is sketching in the sketch pad Francis had brought for her, secretly divulging in all the feelings Jason has brought out in her.

Jason's focus is in cleaning his gun, even though it couldn't get any cleaner, when a song comes on over the radio. With a slight smile, Jason puts the reassembled gun back down on the table before walking over to her. Holding out his hand, he takes a deep breath.

"For old times' sake." he says in a husky voice, causing her to smile softly before sliding her hand into his.

Holding each other close, they sway slowly to the music. It was the song that they had danced to before he was shot. Elizabeth usually associated this song with Lucky, it being the last song they danced to before he "died", but not anymore. She can't hear this song without thinking about Jason and the way his arms felt around her.

Neither knew what propelled them to react to each other like this or why - after swearing to themselves that it would never happen - did they give in now. But, before either of them could stop themselves, Jason angles her in a way that gives him easy access to her lips.

Maybe it was knowing that they were faking her death or that the plan could fail and she'd be in even more danger than before, but Jason just couldn't stop himself. He had expected her to stop him, but she did the exact opposite. She pulled him in close, needing to feel him against her, practically begging for them to take it all the way.

And they did. In spite of all the reasons it was wrong. In spite of the pain he would undoubtedly be putting his wife through. Jason picks Elizabeth up into his arms and carries her to his bed. Needing her more than he ever thought possible. Even with his plan altered, he wouldn't be able to see her until it was over and that had him needing her more than ever in that moment.

Its not slow. Like how he'd have imagined it. No. They were past the taking it slow part. This was a desperation. A need. A desire. A passion filled moment and they reacted to each other like a sailor would his wife after returning home from a long stay at sea. They both know its wrong. That it shouldn't happen. But they couldn't stop themselves.

No words are exchanged once they come down from their ecstasy. Instead of saying something they'd regret or not regret, Jason and Elizabeth simply lay in each other's arms, relishing in whatever time they had left together. She knows he's not hers. He knows she's not his. But for that one night. For that one moment. He is. She is.

The rest can wait for morning. The regrets and inevitable separation. The bottling up of their love for each other. It can all wait for morning. Right now. In that moment. They belong to each other and nothing outside those four walls matter. Nothing but them.

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Let me know what you think about the update. Don't be afraid to be blunt.**

**-ROCkER**


	11. Chapter 11

Obviously, Elizabeth wasn't too thrilled to be drinking poison for the second time in her life. Honestly, how many people can say that they've faked their death more than once? Or even once? Although she wishes that she doesn't have to, Elizabeth knows its part of the plan and she needed to do it.

So, standing by the window, she waits patiently as the three men iron out the final details of the plan. Apparently, Francis and Johnny found some problems with Jason's plan and they needed to tweak the plan a little here and there. She'd be able to help if she knew what they hell they were planning, but Jason still won't allow her that.

"Hey." Jason's voice causes her to close her eyes to the view in front of her - suddenly overcome with memories from the previous night.

"Yeah?" she voices, reminding herself that it wasn't the time to reminisce.

"Its time." he says softly, turning her to look at him, leaving his hands resting on her shoulders. "You ready?"

"Yeah." she shakes her head, but he could tell she's nervous.

"If you want to back out, Liz, now's the time to speak up." he points out, needing her to be one hundred percent certain this is what she wants to do.

"No...I'm ready." she says with more certainty. "I'm ready, Jason."

"Okay." he smiles slightly, moving his hands from her shoulders, slipping one into hers to guide her to the table. "From what I hear, you've done this before, right?"

"Yeah." she shakes her head, still completely nervous, but trying her best to hide it.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Liz, trust us." Francis brushes his hand down her hair, kissing her forehead softly. "Just don't fight it and you'll be fine, okay?"

"Okay." Elizabeth smiles slightly. "I'm just drinking poison to be revived after a certain stretch of time...no pressure."

"Liz..." Jason starts but she cuts him off swiftly.

"I'm okay...I am." she shakes her head. "Just...just don't leave until after, okay?"

"I'm not going anywhere until you're out of it." Jason promises her. "Just keep your focus on me after you drink it...I'll help you through it."

"Okay." Elizabeth takes the vile from Johnny, taking a deep breath before downing it.

Francis and Johnny stood by, their hearts in their throats as they watched the poison take affect. They both knew that this was the plan, that they all agreed to this, but watching the poison coursing through her veins, seeing the way her eyes teared up...both men felt their knees go weak.

"They look afraid." Elizabeth's weak voice comments, glancing at the two guards.

"Ignore them." Jason says firmly, turning her gaze back to him. "Just look at me...keep your eyes on me."

Returning her gaze to him, Elizabeth barely notices as he slips his hands into hers, forcing herself to stare into his eyes as the poison finishes its task, slowing her heart rate and pretty much killing her. The tears in her eyes tear a hole through Jason, but he schools his features, not wanting her to see him hurt for her.

In spite of all the planning, knowing that she wasn't really dying, Jason still hated that she was being poisoned - even if it is from her own free will. He whispers to her, telling her to focus on him, to stare at him while the darkness overcomes her.

"Its time, Jason." Francis's voice hoarse, checking her pulse. "Get going."

The words don't register, his eyes fixated on her, his primal instincts to protect her is practically swallowing him whole. He can't release her hands, knowing damn well that he should, but he just couldn't. He couldn't leave her. He didn't anticipate this part of the plan. The way he'd feel when he watched her drink the poison. The onslaught of emotions that are drowning him, swallowing him whole.

"I know its hard, man, but you have to go." Francis states, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to let go now...we'll take care of her. I swear that to you, but you have to let go now."

Reluctantly accepting what he already knew, Jason rises to his feet, tears in his eyes, before placing a kiss upon her forehead. Whispering a solemn promise to her, he hesitantly releases his hold on her before leaving to safe house without a word. He didn't have to tell them he'd kill them if they didn't protect her because they knew it already. No. Now he had to do his part and wait for his turn to come up.

"Ready?" Francis looks at Johnny, knowing that he would have the hardest time schooling his features for Sonny.

"Make the call." Johnny states, kneeling by Elizabeth. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Francis stares at him intently.

"Make the damn call, Francis." Johnny mutters, holding Elizabeth's hand in his. "I won't make this be for nothing."

Taking a deep breath, to ensure that his voice didn't give him away, Francis makes the call to Sonny. Both men couldn't believe he was stupid enough to believe them, but - once again - Sonny proved to be overestimated by them.

It didn't take long for Sonny to get to the safe house, pleased with the work they've done, issuing out orders when they tell him that Jason would be back soon. Their story was pretty much believable. Elizabeth did trust them and that had given them an in.

Francis and Johnny, somehow, talked him into allowing Elizabeth's family the chance to bury her properly. He had the chance with Ric, the least they could do was give them that much. They'll position her in her bed, where Emily will find her. The poison wouldn't be found in her system, they assured Sonny of that much, giving him no choice but to agree.

"Audrey Hardy is a good woman." Sonny agreed, turning his back on Elizabeth's body. "Do it. Call me when its done."

"Yes, sir." Johnny states, clenching his fists at his side before being nudged by Francis.

Sonny took one last look at Elizabeth before he walked out of the safe house and left back to his life. Johnny came so damn close to strangling the bastard where he stood, but Francis made sure he kept his cool. They had to take care of Elizabeth. She's their priority right now.

"Where the hell is she?!" Jason practically shouts in anger, not having to fake the emotion as he stands in front of Sonny. He falters slightly with Courtney being there, but he knew it had to be this way.

"Jason?" Courtney walks over to him, relieved that he's there. "What's going on?"

"Where is she, Sonny?" Jason stares daggers at Sonny. "I went to the safe house and she was gone!"

"I handled what needed handling." Sonny says ominously. "You should have warned her from trusting men that work for me."

"You son of a bitch!" Jason exclaims. "Where is she? What did you do with her?!"

"Jason, calm down, please." Courtney begs, clinging to him, trying to get him to stop. "Sonny explained it...its over now...its over."

He looks at her angrily, but forces himself to soften his gaze.

"She's right, Jason." Sonny rises to his feet. "Its over. Now you can stop this pathetic obsession you have for her and fall back into place by my side."

"Why? So you can kill me the first chance you get?" Jason counters, knowing that Courtney has already convince him not to do just that.

"Jason, please." Courtney pleads. "Sonny promised me he won't...just please, let it go. She's gone. Its over."

"Make your choice now, Jason." Sonny states sternly. "Avenge her death or let it go...choose wisely."

"Lets go home." Jason slips her hand into Courtney's, walking her out of Sonny's office, knowing Sonny will take it as him letting it go.

Walking with his wife, Jason makes a silent promise that he will be the one to kill Sonny. Jason wants his face to be the last thing Sonny ever sees.

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!**

**Let me know what you think about the update. Don't be afraid to be blunt.**

**-ROCkER**


	12. Chapter 12

_Darkness seemed to be the constant thing since Jason's face faded away into the abyss. She could feel her body being moved, she could vaguely hear Johnny and Francis as they discussed modes of transportation. It had kept her calm while it lasted, but soon enough that vanished, too._

_Now all that was left was the darkness, a cold and nerve racking darkness, that made her fearful and absolutely anxious. More than anything, Elizabeth wanted the darkness to go away, to see some form of light again, anything to tell her that she wouldn't be stuck like this forever. Alone in the darkness._

_"Are you sure you're okay?" Jason's voice floated through her mind before she felt herself being pulled away slightly. "Elizabeth? Hey, open your eyes."_

_And she did, only the sight that waited for her when she broke through the darkness wasn't the sight she had expected. She was standing in front of Jason, only this Jason was from years in the past, when they had danced together in Kelly's. This couldn't be real, she thought to herself, she had to be dreaming. She tried to remember the last time she saw Jason, but kept coming up blank. This couldn't be real._

_"You okay?" he looks at her with concern, prompting her to step out of his embrace._

_"I'm sorry." she says in a hushed tone, stepping away as she tried to figure out what was going on._

_"Its okay." he says softly, smiling slightly when her eyes meet him. "Its okay, Elizabeth."_

_"Its not." she shakes her head. "Something's not right...this can't be real."_

_"I know it must be hard after losing Lucky the way you did..." Jason tries to find a way to comfort her. "I want to help you...I'm just not really sure how."_

_"I'm sorry." she says again, shaking her head. "My head's just...nothing's really making much sense right now."_

_"What if we go for a ride? That usually helps you clear your head." he suggests, checking his watch. "I have some time before my meeting...I can drop you off."_

_"Um...okay." she agrees, something telling her she needed to. "I just need to lock up."_

_"I can wait." he says with a slight smile, glad that she agreed._

_Elizabeth subtly watched Jason as she put things away, turning out the lights after pushing in chairs, wondering what the hell was going on, all the while. After making sure everything was set for closeup, she allowed Jason to help her into her jacket before leaving the diner with him._

_They got on his bike and took off into the night, Elizabeth clinging onto him for dear life, the fear still coursing through her body. Something wasn't right. This couldn't be real. Even know she's certain of that much, she still couldn't figure out what brought her to that place and why she couldn't remember the last thing that happened to her._

"I don't get it, she should be awake by now." Emily says with fear in her voice, staring down at Elizabeth as she lays in the guest room at the Quartermaine estate.

"You're right." Audrey lets out a weary sigh. "I don't understand it. The toxin should be out of her system by now."

"I'm gonna call Francis." Emily says seriously. "He should know what's going on."

"Use this." Audrey hands her the burn phone that she had been given. "He'll answer immediately."

"Thanks." Emily smiles slightly before walking out of the room. Something was definitely wrong and she'll be damned if she's going to let Elizabeth die now.

Francis and Johnny were handling some stuff for Sonny, obviously being kept away for a while to ensure that they didn't feel the need to talk to Jason about it. Obviously he didn't trust them to keep their mouths shut and that meant giving them crappy jobs in order to keep them away from Jason.

"Its them." Francis holds up the phone. "You got the device?"

"Yeah." Johnny shakes his head, flipping the switch to avoid being heard by anyone. "Answer it."

"What's wrong?" he answers immediately.

"She's not waking up." Emily's voice gives away her fears. "The toxin you gave her should have been out of her system by now...you said it wouldn't hurt her."

"Relax." Francis says carefully. "What are her vitals like?"

"She's stable." Emily admits. "Doesn't mean that something's not wrong, Francis...she should have woken up by now."

"I know." Francis lets out a weary sigh. "Look, I'll find a way to get there soon, but you and Audrey are all she has right now. Can you handle it?"

"Yes." Emily concedes, glancing back at the door. "I'm scared for her, Francis."

"We all are." Francis admits, glancing over at Johnny. "I'll do my best to get there to check on her. Until I do, I need you to call me if there's any changes, okay?"

"Okay." Emily agrees. "Just get here as fast as you can."

"I'll do my best."

Ending the call, Francis fills Johnny in on Elizabeth's condition, both men stumped as to why she hasn't awoken yet. They had the dosage right, that much they're certain on, having checked and quadruple checked to be sure. The question now, who's going to tell Jason?

"Where are you going?" Courtney asks her husband, walking out with a bottle of beer for him, knowing he needed to relax.

"I have to go see Carly." Jason says simply, securing his gun at the small of his back before shrugging into his jacket. "I'll be right back."

"Jason...we should talk about what happened." Courtney insists, setting the bottle down on her pool table before walking over to him. "Please..."

"Later." he says seriously, glancing over at the beer before looking at her. "Do me a favor and get that off my pool table. I'll be home later."

Walking out on his wife, Jason knew that it hurt her to do that, but he had to keep up appearances. It wouldn't be believable if he just accepted what Sonny did and didn't pull away from everyone slightly. A part of him knew that he wasn't pretending with Courtney. She had simply accepted Elizabeth's death like it was nothing. Like his life meant more than the life of an innocent woman. He couldn't wrap his head around that.

"Hey." Carly smiles slightly, wrapping her arms around him when he walks up to her. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm fine." he looks at her curiously.

"The guards." Carly gestures to the two standing a few feet away. "Lets sit, okay?"

Pulling out her chair for her, Jason waits for her to sit before he takes his seat. It wasn't that hard to keep up the charade that he believed Elizabeth was dead, the anger he felt was very much real and the promise of Sonny paying for it...well, that's very much real as well. He just had to plan it right.

"Need a napkin?" Carly questions carefully. "For your drink."

"No, thanks." he says simply, lifting his beer to his lips and taking a long gulp.

"Yes...you do." Carly says seriously. "Don't be a caveman, Jason. Use the napkin."

"Fine, Carly." Jason grunts, taking the napkin from her. "I'll use the damn napkin."

It was then that he noticed the writing on it and shook his head. Of course, what better way to communicate than a damn napkin. Reading what was written, Jason fought the urge to jump out of his seat and rush to the Quartermaine estate. Elizabeth wasn't doing as well as they all thought she'd be doing.

"I'm glad you're not gonna do anything stupid." Carly comments, laying a napkin on her lap. "I mean, I know how much the muffin meant to you, but its for the best, you know?"

"If you say so." Jason states, knowing what she meant. It was her way of saying that he should let the two guys handle it. "I'm ready to order. You?"

"Yeah...I'm famished." she smiles slightly, waving over the waiter.

"Where's Michael?" Jason asks after they ordered their food.

"With my mother." she assures, taking a sip of her drink. "She's taking him out of town tonight. They're heading to Disney World in Florida...she even promised to take him to the beach. You know how much he loves the water."

"Yeah...I know." he shakes his head, thankful that Michael wasn't going to be in town. "I'm sure he's going to love it."

"I know I love it." she says simply, accepting their meals with a smile. "So...how's Courtney?"

Walking into her brother's penthouse, Courtney finds him at his desk, handling whatever business he was in need of handling now. Her presence, of course, had him stopping long enough to greet her before storing the stuff away.

"He's shutting himself off, Sonny." she says seriously. "I need you to tell me how I can get him to open up to me."

"That seems like a personal problem to me." Sonny counters, pouring himself a drink. "I did what you asked...he's still alive. How he handles everything...well, that's your problem."

"You're my brother, Sonny!" Courtney snaps. "Come on! Help me out! I don't want to lose my husband."

"Look, he's gonna be like this for a while, you just have to wait it out." Sonny concedes. "Give him time...he'll come around. Drink?"

_Elizabeth didn't want to let him go, but the ride could only last for so long. It didn't stop her from holding on for a long while after he put the bike in park outside her grandmother's house. She was afraid to let him go, not really sure why, but she just couldn't do it._

_"We're here." he says softly, sliding his hand over her joint hands on his abdomen. "I'd stay with you if I could, but I have to get going."_

_"I know." she whispers, shutting her eyes as she simply laid her head against his back. "I hate it when you have to go."_

_"Elizabeth..." he didn't know what to say to that._

_"Its okay." Elizabeth sighs, releasing her hold on him, dismounting the bike soon after. "Just be careful, okay? I can't lose you."_

_He stared into her eyes for a moment, making her wonder what he was going to do. A part of her wanted nothing more than to force him to stay, still unsure of what was going on, but having a feeling that she knew what was about to happen and she hated it._

_"I'll see you soon." he promises, smiling slightly, clearly confused by her words. "Okay?"_

_"Okay." she shakes her head. "I'm gonna hold you to that."_

_"You do that." he agrees, taking the helmet from her. "I have to get going."_

_"Tomorrow...I'm gonna be at my studio all day." she says to stop him from leaving. "Come find me when you're done? Please?"_

_"Elizabeth..."_

_"Just so I know you're okay." Elizabeth explains, smiling slightly, trying to had her concern. "Please, Jason?"_

_"Okay." he shakes his head, taking her hand in his to wrap her in a warm embrace. "I'll stop by the moment I can."_

_"Thanks." she whispers, allowing him to let her go._

Emily and Audrey were starting to grow worrisome as they watched over Elizabeth. They both know a good amount of medical information between the two of them, but this wasn't their specialty, they had no idea how to handle this. Both could only hope that Francis can get there sooner rather than later. If only Alan and Monica could be let in on the secret, but they both know they can't tell anyone. It was risky having them know already, they wouldn't go against Jason's wishes by telling anyone else.

"She's gonna be alright, right?" Emily asks of Audrey, being the less knowledgeable between the two.

"We can only pray by this point." Audrey takes Emily's hand in hers. "All we have is prayer, my dear...lots and lots of prayers."


	13. Chapter 13

Leaving Carly at the restaurant, Jason heads to the one place he knew to escape everything. Jake's. Usually it was Sonny's place or home, the two places he knew that he could just relax, but not anymore. Going to Sonny's will only prove to provoke his need to strangle him with his bare hands. Going home...well, its best to avoid that for now. There was no telling what he'd say to Courtney in his current state of mind. For now, the safest place for him is Jake's.

"Hey, stranger." Jake greets him, popping off the top from his favorite beer before handing it to him.

"Hey, Jake." he replies, sliding onto one of the stalls. "Any chance of my old room being open?"

"Since you left it." Jake says simply, grabbing the key from the hook. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah...just need some privacy."

"Well, you know you'll get a lot of that here." Jake smiles slightly. "I heard about the girl...sorry for your loss."

"Yeah...you and me both." he counters, taking the key along with his beer, calling it a night.

Trudging up the steps, Jason turns the corner to his old apartment, needing some peace and quiet to figure out his next move. Now that he's out of hiding, Jason needs to find the right - not to mention justified - way to take Sonny down. After everything that his friend has done, Jason needs to make sure that - whatever he comes up with - it matches the crimes that Sonny has committed.

_Pacing back and forth in her studio, Elizabeth could feel the fear gripping her tightly, even if she wasn't sure why she was so afraid. With Jason being the only thing on her mind, she knew that it was going to be a long night. She feels like she should be grieving for Lucky, but the grief just doesn't feel as strong as she thinks it should be. Her fear for Jason is just overshadowing it completely._

_Knock._

_Knock._

_Knock._

_Rushing to the door, she yanks it open, more than a little surprised to see Jason standing on the other side, completely unharmed. A part of her questioned why she was so damn worried in the first place, but the larger part of her had her throwing her arms around him and holding him as tightly as she could manage._

_"Hey." he says soothingly, rubbing her back softly. "I'm here. I'm fine...everything's okay."_

_"I was just so worried." she says, clinging tightly to him, refusing to let him go. "I don't know why...I just...I was so afraid that I'd lose you."_

_"Emily told me that when you lose someone...well, fear of losing someone else is only natural."_

_"Are you really using psychology to explain why I'm afraid?" she counters, finally allowing him to pull away. "Really?"_

_"I know." he shakes his head, walking into the studio with her. "I didn't know how else to explain what you're feeling."_

_"Maybe its just because you're my friend and you lead a dangerous life." she points out, grabbing a bottle of water. "So...everything's okay? You're not hurt or anything?"_

_"I'm fine." he assures. "But I could use a cellphone. I need to check in with Sonny."_

_"You didn't check in with him yet?"_

_"No...I was...well, I was worried about you." he smiles slightly before holding up his cellphone. "And I broke mine."_

_"Its over by the wall, charging." she replies, watching as he shrugs out of his jacket while he walks over to use her cellphone. Relief filling every fiber of her being. He's there and he's safe. "Thank you...for coming to see me."_

_"Anytime."_

Rubbing away the fog from her eyes, Emily's attention is diverted to Elizabeth when her mind catches up to the reality around her. Laying in bed, no visible signs that she ever woke up, Emily was glad that Elizabeth seemed to be sleeping peacefully. If only she'd just wake up and take away the fear that Emily felt.

Deciding that there was no avoiding it, she checks Elizabeth's vitals before getting ready to face the day. Elizabeth will have to be alone while Emily helps Audrey plan the funeral...god she hated even thinking about it. As much as she knows this isn't real, that Elizabeth wasn't really dead, it still hurt to have to actually plan the event. To choose flowers, the church...the eulogy.

She's grateful for her brother, she doubts she'll be able to survive through the funeral if she didn't know the truth. Knowing that her best friend wasn't dead, to say that she's beyond relieved would be an understatement. Now she just had to convince the world that she truly believed it.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Em, you in there?" Lucky's voice calls through the door.

Unfortunately that had to included Lucky and Nikolas. Lying isn't her most favorite thing to do, especially with the two brothers, but she'd do anything to ensure that Elizabeth could trust her. That, when this is all over, her best friend would let her in and talk to her.

"Em...we're here for you." Nikolas's voice is broken, remnants of tears in his voice. "Come on...open up."

"Um, I'm not ready yet." she calls back to them. "I'll meet you guys downstairs."

"You sure?" Lucky counters. "I know you're hurting over Elizabeth..."

"Lets just let her be." Nikolas encourages him. "She'll be down when she's ready."

"But she's in the guest room." she heard Lucky say as their voices faded off. "Isn't that weird?"

Shaking her head, Emily finishes getting ready before walking over to Elizabeth's bedside. Looking down on her friend, her heart swelled with pain, hoping that whatever is going on in her friend's mind, that she's okay and only biding her time until the chaos subsides. Whispering her goodbye, she locks the door behind her before leaving to meet up with the guys.

_"Does Sonny need you for anything else?"_

_"Don't know." he replies, plugging her cellphone back in. "Got his voicemail."_

_"So you have to go?"_

_"No." he shakes his head, relieving her anxiety. "I left a message that its been handled. Its enough for him."_

_"So...you're not leaving?"_

_"Not unless you want me to."_

_"I don't want you to." she says quickly, crossing the room to him. "I know I must sound crazy to you...I just have a bad feeling whenever you're gone."_

_"What do you want to do then?"_

_"I don't know." she admits, shaking her head slightly. "Maybe we can just stay in and talk...I really like talking to you."_

_"I like talking to you, too."_

_"Okay...so we'll stay in?"_

_"Whatever you want."_

Waking up to the sound of his cellphone ringing, Jason reads the text message on the screen before sending his reply and pulling himself out of bed. With his reality setting in, Jason's anger hits its peak and his cellphone goes flying to the wall across from him - shattering to pieces before falling to the floor. Time to get to work.


	14. Chapter 14

So many flowers. Flowers of every type, color, height and design, just lined up in front of her. Staring at all the different arrangements, Emily's emotions get the best of her, prompting her tears to fall down her cheeks, feeling a loss she knows isn't real. Standing there, in the middle of all the flower arrangements, it was hard to remember that her best friend wasn't really dead. Which, on another note, played well for fooling the guys.

"I can't choose." Audrey turns to Emily, smiling slightly. "Which do you think she'd prefer?"

"She always did love white roses." Lucky offers when it looked like Emily was stumped.

"No...uh, no." Emily shakes her head. "She always loved my grandmother's arrangements...Elizabeth always said that the arrangements never ceased to take her breath away."

"Would you mind asking your grandmother to borrow some?" Audrey questions, looking at her apologetically.

"Um, I can ask." Emily concedes. "Where to next?"

"We still need to choose the church." Audrey says hesitantly. "Why don't Emily and I take the one uptown while you boys take the one downtown?"

"Whatever you want, Audrey." Lucky says without hesitation. "We'll take pictures and meet up with you at your house."

Going their separate ways, the four of them head to their respective churches, the two women thankful to be alone. After lying to almost everyone they've spoken to this morning, they just needed a break away from it. Just a moment to be alone with the truth rather than keeping up the lie. Just a moment.

"We've been calling you all morning." Francis tries to mask his worry, but fails miserably.

"There's something wrong with my phone." Jason states plainly, walking over to sit at his desk.

"What's wrong with it?" Francis asks him confusedly.

"Its in pieces on my apartment floor." Jason says shortly. "Why were you calling? Is it...is she okay?"

"No change." Francis shakes his head. "I'm gonna head over later to check on her."

"I knew we never should have done this."

"Are you saying that because you honestly believe something's wrong with her or..." Francis arches his eyebrow questioningly.

"Or what?"

"Or..." he sighs, realizing he had to spell it out. "Or are you only saying that because you're not with her?"

"Both." Jason says simply. "You'll let me know what you find out?"

"The moment I do."

"Okay."

Looking at his friend for a moment longer, Francis makes a silent exit, not wanting to push him any further. This situation just didn't seem to be getting any easier and he knows he has to get answers about Elizabeth's coma-like condition before Jason takes it upon himself to find the answers. Subsequently blowing their entire plan out of the water. No. He had to get answers and he had to get answers fast.

"He didn't come home last night." Courtney complains to Carly, pacing back and forth. "How can I get through to him if he doesn't even come home to me?"

"You just have to give him time." Carly insists, not knowing what else to say. "He just lost someone he cares about...someone that's been a part of his life for a long time."

"I know that, but she's gone!" Courtney says seriously. "I'm still here! I'm here and I want to fix our marriage! How can I do that if he doesn't come home?"

"I don't know what else to say to you." Carly throws her hands up in surrender. "I've tried to explain Jason's side, but you just don't get it."

"You know, I honestly thought you'd be my number one supporter in trying to save my marriage." Courtney shakes her head in disbelief. "You were the one that wanted us together even more than I did, remember?"

"Yeah. I remember." Carly sighs, snatching up her coat and purse. "But not even I could have seen this coming...I'll just see you later."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving." Carly pulls open the door. "There's nothing left for me to say or do here. I'm going home to my son."

Courtney stands stunned, watching Carly walk out the door before it shuts firmly behind her. Carly was the only one that she could turn to when it comes to Jason, the only one that understood and helped her, but that wasn't the case now and she was confused by it.

Since when did Carly act completely impassive in regard to her marriage to Jason? Was this some kind of backwards life? Jason doesn't come home, Carly doesn't try to help her save her marriage...wait...they couldn't...they wouldn't...could Jason and Carly be having an affair? No way...that's crazy. They wouldn't do that to her or Sonny for that matter. No. It had to be something else. But what?

"Everything looks fine." Francis says to Emily. "Her vitals are stable and she doesn't show any signs of distress...if anything, she looks peaceful."

"Okay, so, why isn't she awake yet?" Emily counters, needing answers desperately.

"I don't know." Francis sadly admits. "But I've drawn some blood and I'll run a blood panel at my place tonight. Maybe something in her blood work will give us more to go on."

"Until then, we worry." Emily sighs, dropping down on chair by the bed. "Its not fair, Francis...she shouldn't be like this. She was just supposed to fake her death long enough for Sonny to believe it...not remain in this...coma state."

"I'll figure it out, Em." Francis places one hand on her shoulder. "Until then, its on you and Audrey to keep her comfortable and healthy."

"Yeah...that's all we can do."

"I will figure it out." Francis places a soft kiss atop her head. "Promise."

Leaving Emily with Elizabeth, he takes the vials of blood before heading out the way he came, successfully undetected. Making his way into his apartment, Francis gets his machines set up for a long night's work. Whatever's wrong with Elizabeth, he won't stop until he figures it out.

"So...what's the verdict, doc?" Johnny questions, plopping down next to Francis. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're never going to believe this." Francis hands over the findings from his many, many, **many** tests. "Its the only explanation."

"How solid is this?"

"I've ran it until I ran out of blood to test." Francis shakes his head. "The only question now is how do we pull her out of it?"


End file.
